Crane information output device, and crane

Abstract

To improve work efficiency. [Solution] An information output device for a crane according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises an output control unit that outputs information indicating the position of an object detected by a distance detection unit that detects the distance from a predetermined position on the crane body to the object to a display device, and a selection receiving unit that accepts a selection of information indicating the position of the object displayed on the display device, wherein the output control unit suppresses the output of the selected information from among the information indicating the position of the object detected by the distance detection unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a crane information output device and a crane.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a crane, a technique has been proposed for detecting an object within a predetermined monitoring range and warning an operator. However, various objects exist around the crane. Among the existing objects, there are also objects for which a warning to the operator is unnecessary. For this reason, a technique has been proposed for determining a range in which an object for which a warning to the operator is unnecessary exists as an exclusion target for object detection (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technique described in Patent Document 1, in the detection mode, object detection is performed around the crane by a surrounding detection device, and in the subsequent work mode, an alarm is output when the detection information detected in the detection mode and the position of the object are different. In such a technique, when an alarm is output, if the operator visually confirms the object that caused the alarm and recognizes that it is an object for which an alarm output is not necessary, in order to suppress the alarm output, it is necessary to perform object detection again in the detection mode. Since the operator needs to interrupt the crane operation, there is a possibility that the work efficiency will decrease.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is to provide a crane or a crane object detection device that is advantageous for improving work efficiency.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An information output device for a crane according to one aspect of the present invention comprises an output control unit that outputs information indicating the position of an object detected by a distance detection unit that detects the distance from a predetermined position on the crane body to the object to a display device, and a selection receiving unit that accepts a selection of information indicating the position of the object displayed on the display device, wherein the output control unit suppresses the output of the selected information from among the information indicating the position of the object detected by the distance detection unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a crane or object detection device for a crane that is advantageous for improving work efficiency is provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing an example of a crane according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of a crane according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure illustrates object detection by an object detection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a screen output to a display device included in the output device by the output control unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for excluding detected objects from the output target in the controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the suppression of the display of the range indicating an object by a controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example in which the position and size of an object excluded from detection by the controller according to the first embodiment change in accordance with the rotation of the upper rotating body. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for outputting information about a detected object in the controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a screen output to a display device included in the output device by the output control unit according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, the embodiments described below are illustrative and not limiting to the invention, and not all features or combinations thereof described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. In addition, identical or corresponding components in each drawing are denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0010] In the following embodiments of the present invention, an example using a crawler crane will be described, but the crane is not limited to a crawler crane. Any work machine having a mechanism that allows the hook to be raised or lowered by a rope is acceptable. For example, it may be an overhead crane, gantry crane, wheel crane, truck crane, etc. that can be moved according to the operator's operation, or it may be a fixed tower crane, jib crane, or it may even be applied to an unloader, etc.

[0011] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As an example of a work machine according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the crane 100 shown in Figure 1 will be described.

[0012] Figure 1 is a side view showing an example of the crane 100 according to this embodiment. In the following description, the crane 100 will be explained in terms of the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down directions as seen from the operator of the crane 100.

[0013] The crane 100 according to the embodiment is a so-called movable crawler crane. This crane 100 includes a self-propelled crawler-type lower traveling body 1, an upper slewing body 3 that is rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body 1, and an attachment AT that is attached to the front side of the upper slewing body 3 so as to be able to move up and down.

[0014] The lower traveling body 1 includes, for example, a pair of left and right crawlers. The lower traveling body 1 drives each crawler hydraulically by a left traveling hydraulic motor 1ML and a right traveling hydraulic motor 1MR (see FIG. 2) to move the crane 100.

[0015] The upper slewing body 3 slews with respect to the lower traveling body 1 when a slewing mechanism 2 is hydraulically driven by a slewing hydraulic motor 2M (see FIG. 2).

[0016] The upper slewing body 3 has a cabin 4 on the right adjacent position of the attachment AT where an operator sits to operate the crane 100. Further, the upper slewing body 3 has a counterweight 5 for taking the weight balance of the attachment AT and the suspended on the rear side.

[0017] The attachment AT suspends and transports a suspended load. The attachment AT is constituted by a boom 6 including a lower boom 61 connected to the boom attachment portion of the upper slewing body 3 so as to be able to move up and down, an intermediate boom 62 connected to the tip of the lower boom 61, and an upper boom 63 connected to the tip of the intermediate boom 62. The boom 6 has sufficient rigidity by assembling a plurality of frames.

[0018] The boom 6 can change the length of the attachment AT by increasing or decreasing a plurality of intermediate booms 62 that can be connected to each other. Further, the attachment AT has a backstop 64 for restricting the backward rotation of the boom 6 on the rear side of the tip of the lower boom 61.

[0019] Furthermore, the crane 100 includes a pendant rope 66, an upper spreader 67, a lower spreader 68, a boom luffing wire rope 69, a gantry 71, and a gantry lifting cylinder 72.

[0020] One end of the pendant rope 66 is connected to the rear end of the upper boom 63. The other end of the pendant rope 66 is connected to the upper spreader 67. The upper spreader 67 connects the pendant rope 66 to the boom luffing wire rope 69. The boom luffing wire rope 69 is wound around the boom luffing winch 31, which is provided on the upper slewing body 3, and is wound in or unwound based on the drive of the boom luffing winch 31.

[0021] The lower spreader 68 is attached to the tip of the gantry 71, which is provided to be able to raise and lower relative to the upper rotating body 3. The gantry lifting cylinder 72 is provided on the upper rotating body 3 and raises and lowers the gantry 71.

[0022] For example, the crane 100 raises the gantry 71 using the gantry lifting cylinder 72 while winding up the boom luffing wire rope 69 using the boom luffing winch 31. This causes the crane 100 to pull the pendant rope 66 via the upper spreader 67, rotating the boom 6 backward and upward. Conversely, the crane 100 can rotate the boom 6 forward and downward by unwinding the boom luffing wire rope 69 using the boom luffing winch 31.

[0023] The crane 100 is equipped with a boom hook 81, a wire rope 82, and a hook overwinding prevention device 83 for holding the suspended load. The boom hook 81 is suspended from the wire rope 82 via a hook bracket 811. In other words, the boom hook 81 constitutes the lower end of the wire rope 82. The hook bracket 811 has a pulley (not shown) inside through which the wire rope 82 is passed.

[0024] One end of the wire rope 82 is fixed to a fixing part provided at the tip of the boom 6. This wire rope 82 extends downward to the hook bracket 811 of the boom hook 81, then folds back from the hook bracket 811 and extends upward. Furthermore, the wire rope 82 is stretched over a point sheave 651 provided at the tip of the boom 6 and extends to the rear side of the boom 6, and is wound around the front winch 32 provided on the upper slewing body 3 from the rear side of the tip of the boom 6. In addition, a hook overwinding prevention device 83 is provided on the wire rope 82 and defines the upper limit of the boom hook 81.

[0025] The crane 100 can raise the boom hook 81 and lift a load by winding up the wire rope 82 with the front winch 32. Conversely, the crane 100 can lower the boom hook 81 and lower a load by unwinding the wire rope 82 with the front winch 32.

[0026] The rotation sensor S5 outputs information regarding the rotation of the upper rotating body 3. The rotation sensor S5 detects, for example, the rotational angular velocity of the upper rotating body 3 relative to the lower traveling body 1. The rotation sensor S5 may also detect the rotation angle. The rotation sensor S5 may be, for example, a gyro sensor, resolver, rotary encoder, or IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). The detection signal corresponding to the rotation angle or rotational angular velocity of the upper rotating body 3 detected by the rotation sensor S5 is input to the controller 30.

[0027] The object detection device S7 is an example of a distance detection unit that uses a sensor, such as a laser scanner like LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), to detect the distance to objects present around the crane 100. This embodiment does not limit the objects to be detected by distance, and can include, for example, people.

[0028] When LiDAR is used as the object detection device S7, it is a device capable of measuring the distance between the object detection device S7 and, for example, a point cloud of more than 1 million points within the monitoring range. Alternatively, the object detection device S7 may be other devices capable of measuring the distance to an object, such as a stereo camera, a depth image camera, or a millimeter-wave radar. When a millimeter-wave radar or the like is used as the object detection device, the object detection device may determine the distance and direction of the object by transmitting a large number of signals (such as laser light) toward the object and receiving the reflected signals. Alternatively, the object detection device may be a combination of two or more types of devices. For example, the object detection device may be a combination of an imaging device and LiDAR, or an imaging device and millimeter-wave radar, or an imaging device and a stereo camera.

[0029] The object detection device S7 is attached to the bottom surface of the rear end of the upper rotating body 3. The object detection device S7 detects a fan-shaped horizontal two-dimensional plane that is horizontal in a direction parallel to the ground surface of the crane 100 and extends 135° to the left and right (270° in total) from the object detection device S7. Note that this embodiment shows an example of the detection range by the object detection device S7 and is not limited to this detection range. This embodiment does not limit the number of object detection devices S7 to one, and multiple devices may be provided.

[0030] Furthermore, the object detection device S7 performs distance detection to the object within a predetermined angular range above or below, based on the horizontal direction described above.

[0031] In other words, the object detection device S7 scans on a two-dimensional plane within a total range of 270 degrees on both the left and right sides, and scans in the vertical direction within a predetermined range, thereby detecting the distance to the object in a three-dimensional range.

[0032] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the crane 100 according to this embodiment.

[0033] <<Hydraulic drive system>> As shown in Figure 2, the hydraulic drive system of the crane 100 according to this embodiment includes hydraulic actuators HA that hydraulically drive each of the driven elements, such as the lower traveling body 1 (left and right crawlers), the upper slewing body 3, and the attachment AT, as described above.

[0034] The crane 100 includes hydraulic actuators HA such as travel hydraulic motors 1ML and 1MR, slewing hydraulic motor 2M, boom luffing hydraulic motor 31M, and front winch hydraulic motor 32M.

[0035] The slewing hydraulic motor 2M is an actuator for slewing the upper slewing body 3 relative to the lower traveling body 1. The boom luffing hydraulic motor 31M is an actuator for operating the boom luffing winch 31. The front winch hydraulic motor 32M is an actuator for operating the front winch 32.

[0036] Furthermore, the hydraulic drive system of the crane 100 according to this embodiment includes an engine 11, a regulator 18, a plurality of main pumps 14, a pilot pump 15, and control valve units 17A and 17B.

[0037] Engine 11 is the prime mover and the main power source in the hydraulic drive system. Engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine that uses light oil as fuel. Engine 11 is mounted, for example, at the rear of the upper slewing body 3. Under direct or indirect control by the controller 30 described later, engine 11 rotates at a preset target rotational speed and drives multiple main pumps 14 and pilot pumps 15.

[0038] Each of the multiple main pumps 14 supplies hydraulic fluid to control valve units 17A and 17B through a high-pressure hydraulic line. The multiple main pumps 14 are mounted, for example, at the rear of the upper slewing body 3, similar to the engine 11. The multiple main pumps 14 are driven by the engine 11, as described above. Each of the multiple main pumps 14 is, for example, a variable displacement hydraulic pump, and, as described above, under the control of the controller 30, the piston stroke length is adjusted by adjusting the tilt angle of the swash plate by the regulator 18, thereby controlling the discharge flow rate (discharge pressure).

[0039] The control valve units 17A and 17B are hydraulic control devices that control the hydraulic actuators HA in response to the operator's operation of the operating device 26, the content of remote operation, or operation commands related to the automatic operation function output from the controller 30. The control valve units 17A and 17B are mounted, for example, in the center of the upper slewing body 3. As described above, the control valve units 17A and 17B are connected to each of the multiple main pumps 14 via a high-pressure hydraulic line and selectively supply hydraulic fluid supplied from each of the multiple main pumps 14 to each hydraulic actuator in response to the operator's operation or operation commands output from the controller 30. Specifically, the control valve units 17A and 17B include multiple control valves (also called "direction control valves") that control the flow rate and direction of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the main pumps 14 to each of the hydraulic actuators HA.

[0040] <<Operation system>> The operating system of the crane 100 according to this embodiment includes a pilot pump 15, an operating device 26, an operating sensor 27, a proportional valve 29, and a controller 30.

[0041] The pilot pump 15 supplies pilot pressure to various hydraulic devices via the pilot line 25. The pilot pump 15 is mounted, for example, at the rear of the upper slewing body 3, similar to the engine 11. The pilot pump 15 is, for example, a fixed-displacement hydraulic pump and is driven by the engine 11 as described above.

[0042] The pilot pump 15 may be omitted. In this case, the relatively high-pressure hydraulic fluid discharged from the main pump 14 is reduced in pressure by a predetermined pressure reducing valve, and the resulting relatively low-pressure hydraulic fluid is supplied to various hydraulic devices as pilot pressure.

[0043] The control device 26 is located near the cockpit of the cabin 4 and is used by the operator to operate various driven elements. In other words, the control device 26 is used by the operator to operate the hydraulic actuators HA that drive each driven element. The control device 26 includes pedal devices and lever devices for operating each driven element (hydraulic actuator HA).

[0044] For example, the operating device 26 is electrically operated. Specifically, the operating sensor 27 is configured to detect the content of the operator's operation of the operating device 26. In this embodiment, the operating sensor 27 detects the operating direction and amount of the operating device 26 corresponding to each actuator and outputs the detected values ​​to the controller 30.

[0045] The controller 30 then outputs a control command to the proportional valve 29 that corresponds to the content of the operation signal, that is, a control signal corresponding to the operation of the operating device 26. As a result, the proportional valve 29 inputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation of the operating device 26 to the control valve units 17A and 17B, and the control valve units 17A and 17B can drive their respective hydraulic actuators HA according to the operation of the operating device 26.

[0046] Furthermore, the control valves (directional control valves) that drive the respective hydraulic actuators, which are built into the control valve units 17A and 17B, may be of the electromagnetic solenoid type. In this case, the operating signal output from the operating device 26 may be directly input to the control valve units 17A and 17B, that is, to the electromagnetic solenoid type control valves.

[0047] A proportional valve 29 is provided for each driven element (hydraulic actuator HA) that is operated by the operating device 26. The proportional valve 29 is located in the pipeline connecting the pilot pump 15 and the pilot port of the control valve in the control valve units 17A and 17B, and is configured to change the flow area of ​​the pipeline. In this embodiment, the proportional valve 29 operates in response to a control command output by the controller 30. Therefore, the controller 30 can supply the hydraulic fluid discharged by the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the control valve (not shown) in the control valve units 17A and 17B via the proportional valve 29, regardless of the operator's operation of the operating device 26.

[0048] <<User Interface System>> The user interface system of the crane 100 according to this embodiment includes an operating device 26, an operating sensor 27, an output device D1, and an input device D2.

[0049] Output device D1 outputs various information to the user (e.g., operator) of the crane 100 inside the cabin 4.

[0050] For example, the output device D1 is located in a place easily visible to a seated operator inside the cabin 4 and includes indoor lighting equipment and display devices that output various information in a visual manner. Lighting equipment includes, for example, warning lights. Display devices include, for example, liquid crystal displays and organic EL (electroluminescence) displays.

[0051] Furthermore, for example, output device D1 includes a sound output device that outputs various types of information in an auditory manner. The sound output device includes, for example, a buzzer or a speaker.

[0052] Furthermore, for example, output device D1 includes a device that outputs various types of information through tactile means such as vibrations in the cockpit.

[0053] The input device D2 is located within the cabin 4, close to the seated operator, and receives various inputs from the operator. The signals corresponding to the received inputs are then taken up by the controller 30.

[0054] For example, input device D2 is an input device that accepts operation input. An input device may include a touch panel mounted on the display device, a touch pad installed around the display device, a button switch, a lever, a toggle, a knob switch provided on the operation device 26 (lever device), etc.

[0055] Furthermore, for example, input device D2 may be a voice input device that accepts voice input from the operator. The voice input device may include, for example, a microphone.

[0056] Furthermore, for example, input device D2 may be a gesture input device that accepts gesture input from the operator. The gesture input device may include, for example, an imaging device (indoor camera) installed inside the cabin 4.

[0057] <<Communications System>> The communication system of the crane 100 according to this embodiment includes a communication device T1 capable of communicating with an external device.

[0058] The communication device T1 connects to the communication line NW and communicates with a device provided separately from the crane 100. The device provided separately from the crane 100 may include a device located outside the crane 100, as well as a portable terminal device brought into the cabin 4 by the user of the crane 100. The communication device T1 may include, for example, a mobile communication module compliant with standards such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation). The communication device T1 may also include, for example, a satellite communication module. Furthermore, the communication device T1 may include, for example, a Wi-Fi® communication module or a Bluetooth® communication module.

[0059] <<Control System>> The storage device ST is, for example, a read / write non-volatile storage medium. This storage device ST may be, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive) or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage device ST according to this embodiment includes a background data storage unit STA.

[0060] The controller 30 controls the operation of each drive unit provided on the crane 100. The functions of the controller 30 may be realized by any hardware, or any combination of hardware and software. For example, the controller 30 is mainly composed of a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), non-volatile auxiliary storage devices such as ROM (Read Only Memory), and various input / output interface devices. The controller 30 realizes various functions by, for example, loading a program installed in the auxiliary storage device into the memory device and executing it on the CPU.

[0061] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of controller 30 may be implemented by other controllers (control devices). These other controllers may be installed inside or outside the crane 100. In other words, the functions of controller 30 may be implemented by a single controller or by being distributed among multiple controllers. For example, the automatic control function may be implemented by a dedicated controller (control device).

[0062] The controller 30 controls, for example, the proportional valve 29 as the control target, and performs control related to the operation of the hydraulic actuator HA (driven element) of the crane 100.

[0063] Specifically, the controller 30 may control the operation of the hydraulic actuator HA (driven element) of the crane 100 based on the operation of the operating device 26, with the proportional valve 29 as the control target.

[0064] [Crane object detection] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating object detection by the object detection device S7 according to this embodiment. In the example shown in Figure 3, the object detection device S7 is capable of detecting objects within a 270-degree range (hereinafter referred to as the monitoring range) 1301 centered on the object detection device S7.

[0065] The monitoring range 1301 is defined as a predetermined range (for example, a range of 2m from the rear end) based on a circle (with a rear end radius) indicated at the rear end of the crane 100 when the crane 100 is rotating. However, this embodiment 100 does not limit the monitoring range 1300 to the range described above; for example, the monitoring range may be determined based on the movable range of the boom hook 81 of the crane 100.

[0066] Among the objects within the monitoring range 1301, there are some that do not require a warning to the operator of crane 100. Examples of objects that do not require a warning include fences and engines. If the operator of crane 100 is continuously notified (warned) of the presence of these objects, there is a possibility that the operator may be slow to notice other objects that intrude.

[0067] Therefore, in situations where there are objects that do not need to be notified (warned), the controller 30 in this embodiment performs a process to register the area in which objects are detected as an object detection range, excluding the area in which the objects that do not need to be notified exist.

[0068] In the example shown in Figure 3, the controller 30 designates the area within the range detectable by the object detection device S7 where objects 1311, 1312, and 1313 exist as an area where notification of object detection is suppressed (hereinafter referred to as the object detection exclusion range). At this stage, object 1314 is assumed not to exist.

[0069] The controller 30 then registers the object detection range in the background data storage unit STA of the storage device ST as background data for detecting objects (hereinafter referred to as background data), which is the range in which object detection is reported, excluding the object detection exclusion range in which notification of object detection is suppressed, from the range in which the object detection device S7 can detect objects. The background data indicates the range in which notification is given when an object is present (object detection range) within a total of 270 degrees on both the left and right sides that the object detection device S7 can detect.

[0070] The controller 30 then uses the object detection device S7 to perform object detection processing on the object detection range registered as background data. The controller 30 then provides notification based on the object detection results.

[0071] In this embodiment, the controller 30 registers data indicating the object detection range in which object detection is reported for each rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 detected by the rotation sensor S5, as background data for object detection in the background data storage unit STA. For example, if the resolution of the rotation sensor S5 is 0.1 degrees, the controller 30 may register 3600 pieces of background data in the background data storage unit STA. Note that this embodiment does not limit the resolution of the rotation sensor S5 to 0.1 degrees; it may be less than 0.1 degrees or greater than 0.1 degrees.

[0072] Therefore, the background data storage unit STA stores background data indicating the object detection range, which is the range detectable by the object detection device S7, excluding the range excluded from object detection, for each rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 (for example, every 0.1 degrees).

[0073] Therefore, when detecting an object, the controller 30 retrieves background data corresponding to the rotation angle detected by the rotation sensor S5, and performs object detection processing by comparing this background data with the detection result from the object detection device S7. Specifically, the controller 30 outputs that an object exists if the detection result from the object detection device S7 recognizes that an object exists within the object detection range indicated by the background data.

[0074] For example, the object detection device S7 may detect an object 1314 that was not present when the background data was registered. In this case, the controller 30 outputs that object 1314 exists.

[0075] In this situation, even after the operator visually confirms the notified object 1314 and confirms that they can safely continue working, the controller 30 continues to output information about the object because it differs from the background data. In such a situation, if a new object approaches, the controller 30 outputs information about the approaching object, but since it continues to output information about the object that has already been confirmed safe, there is a possibility that the detection of the approaching object will be delayed.

[0076] On the other hand, when the operator visually confirms object 1314, it is necessary to interrupt the operation in order to register information about the object in the background data storage unit in order to suppress the output related to object 1314.

[0077] Therefore, in this embodiment, the controller 30 suppresses the output (e.g., notification and display) related to the object when the operator visually confirms the object 1314 and then selects the range 1321 in which the object 1314 exists as an area to be excluded from output.

[0078] [Controller Functional Configuration] Returning to Figure 2, the configuration of the controller 30 for detecting objects will be described. The controller 30 includes an acquisition unit 301, a registration unit 302, an extraction unit 303, a clustering unit 304, an output control unit 305, an operation reception unit 306, a storage unit 307, and a determination unit 308.

[0079] The acquisition unit 301 acquires detection results from various sensors installed on the crane 100. For example, the acquisition unit 301 acquires the rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 from the rotation sensor S5.

[0080] Furthermore, the acquisition unit 301 acquires the detection result from the object detection device S7. The acquisition unit 301 converts the distance from the object detection device S7 to the object, as indicated by the detection result acquired from the object detection device S7, into the distance from the pivot center of the crane 100 to the object. This embodiment describes an example in which the pivot center of the crane 100 is applied as the reference position (example of a predetermined position) for detecting the distance to the object. However, this embodiment does not limit the reference position for detecting the distance to the object to the pivot center; for example, it may be the position where the object detection device S7 is installed, or another position.

[0081] When the registration unit 302 receives a background data registration operation, it associates the rotation angle acquired by the rotation sensor S5 with the background data based on the detection result by the object detection device S7 and registers it in the background data storage unit STA. This registration is performed when there are no objects to be notified to the operator around the crane 100.

[0082] For example, the registration unit 302 registers background data in the background data storage unit STA that defines the area in which an object is detected by the object detection device S7 as the object detection exclusion area, and the area in which the object detection exclusion area is excluded from the monitoring range of the object detection device S7 as the object detection area.

[0083] For example, the registration unit 302 controls the rotation of the crane 100 and registers background data based on the detection results from the object detection device S7 in the background data storage unit STA for each rotation angle of the crane 100.

[0084] The extraction unit 303 reads background data corresponding to the rotation angle acquired by the rotation sensor S5 from the background data storage unit STA, and extracts point cloud data that falls within a range where the distance between the read background data and the object is different, based on the read background data and the detection results acquired from the object detection device S7.

[0085] The clustering unit 304 clusters the point cloud data extracted by the extraction unit 303 and extracts the position, shape, and size of each object included in the point cloud data. The clustering method for the point cloud data may be a well-known method, such as clustering based on Euclidean distance. The object's position only needs to be definitively determined, such as the center of the extracted object or its centroid. In this embodiment, an example using the centroid of an object will be described.

[0086] The output control unit 305 controls the output of information from the output device D1. For example, the output control unit 305 controls the output of a screen to the display device included in the output device D1. Another example is the output control unit 305 controlling the output of sound from the sound output device included in the output device D1.

[0087] The output control unit 305 controls the output of a notification sound from the sound output device to alert the operator when an object is extracted by the clustering unit 304.

[0088] Furthermore, the output control unit 305 displays information about the extracted object on a display device included in the output device D1. In this way, the output control unit 305 outputs a notification sound to the operator so that they can refer to the screen displayed on the display device.

[0089] Figure 4 shows an example of a screen output by the output control unit 305 according to this embodiment to a display device included in the output device D1. Figure 4 describes an example of displaying an overhead view image showing the area around the crane 100. In the overhead view image shown in Figure 4, an image 1701 showing the crane 100 from above is displayed, along with the monitoring range 1702.

[0090] The monitoring range 1702 shown in Figure 4 is defined as a range within a predetermined distance (for example, 2 to 3 m) from the circle 1721 indicated by the rear end of the crane 100 during the rotation of the crane 100.

[0091] The output control unit 305 then displays the ranges 1711, 1712, and 1713 where detected objects exist using a different color from the other ranges. The displayed color may vary according to the degree of danger, in other words, distance. For example, the output control unit 305 displays the ranges 1711 and 1712 of objects located within 1m of the circle 1721 shown at the rear end in red. Also, for example, the output control unit 305 displays the range 1713 of objects located more than 1m but within 2m of the circle 1721 in yellow.

[0092] The range of an object is determined according to the position and size of the object extracted by the clustering unit 304. For example, in range 1712, the horizontal size of the object is larger than the threshold corresponding to one cell, so two cells are used to represent the object.

[0093] In this manner, the output control unit 305 outputs information (range) indicating the position and size of the object detected by the object detection device S7 to the display device.

[0094] In the example screen output by the output control unit 305, the area where an object is located within the object detection range is displayed in a different color, thereby allowing the operator to recognize the object within the object detection range. This embodiment describes an example of displaying an area where an object is located in a different color as an example of information indicating an object. However, this embodiment is not limited to displaying an area where an object is located in a different color; for example, an image showing the shape of the object may be displayed.

[0095] On the other hand, in the example screen output by the output control unit 305, the range of objects within the object detection exclusion range is displayed in the same color as the range where no objects have been detected. In this way, the output control unit 305 according to this embodiment suppresses the display of objects (or information indicating objects) within the object detection exclusion range. Note that this embodiment shows only one example of how the display of objects (or information indicating objects) within the object detection exclusion range is suppressed, and is not limited to this suppression method. For example, the output control unit 305 may display the range of objects within the object detection exclusion range in a grayed-out state (gray).

[0096] Furthermore, the operator can check for objects in ranges 1711, 1712, and 1713, and if they determine that display is unnecessary, they can perform an operation to suppress the display.

[0097] The operation reception unit 306 receives operations performed by the operator via the input device D2. In this embodiment, the touch panel of the input device D2 is provided in the display area of ​​the display device.

[0098] Therefore, the operation reception unit (an example of a selection reception unit) 306 accepts the selection of a range (an example of information) that indicates the position and size of an object, as displayed on the display device. The range that indicates the position and size of an object corresponds, for example, to ranges 1711, 1712, and 1713 in Figure 4. For example, the operation reception unit 306 can accept the selection of ranges 1711 and 1713, which combine the position where the object exists and the size of one square, and can also accept the selection of range 1712, which combines the position where the object exists and the size of two squares.

[0099] When the operation reception unit 306 receives a selection of a range (an example of information) indicating the position and size of an object, the output control unit 305 displays a pop-up to confirm whether or not it is acceptable to suppress the display of that range. If the operation reception unit 306 receives a confirmation that it is acceptable to suppress the display of the range, the output control unit 305 suppresses the output of the selected range (an example of information) from the range indicating the position and size of the object detected by the object detection device S7. The output control unit 305 not only suppresses the output of the range indicating the position and size of the object to the display device, but also suppresses the notification of the object using the audio output device. In this embodiment, an example is described in which the range displayed on the display device indicates the position and size of an object. However, this embodiment is not limited to the example of a range indicating the position and size of an object, but may simply be a mark (an example of information) indicating the location where the object exists. In other words, if the output control unit 305 can output information indicating the position of an object, the operator can visually confirm the object and decide whether or not to suppress the output of the information about that object.

[0100] The storage unit 307 modifies the information of objects (e.g., position, shape, and size) within the range received by the operation reception unit 306 to correspond to each of the rotation angles of the crane 100, and then stores it in the background data storage unit STA in association with the rotation angle. Modification to correspond to each of the rotation angles includes, for example, modifications to determine the position (angle) of an object at each rotation angle, depending on the difference in angle between the rotation angle acquired by the acquisition unit 301 and the rotation angle in the background data.

[0101] After the clustering unit 304 extracts the position, shape, and size of an object, the determination unit 308 determines whether the extracted position, shape, and size of the object match the object information (position, shape, and size) stored in the background data storage unit STA, in correspondence with the current rotation angle.

[0102] If the determination unit 308 determines that there is no match, the output control unit 305 displays information indicating the location of the object (e.g., range) on the display device and outputs a notification about the object from the audio output device. On the other hand, if the determination unit 308 determines that there is a match, the output control unit 305 suppresses the display of information indicating the location of the object (e.g., range) and suppresses the notification about the object.

[0103] Next, a processing procedure for excluding detected objects from the notification (output) targets in the controller 30 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for excluding detected objects from the output (e.g., notification and display) targets in the controller 30 according to this embodiment.

[0104] The acquisition unit 301 acquires the detection result from the object detection device S7 (S1401). The acquisition unit 301 also acquires the current rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 from the rotation sensor S5.

[0105] The extraction unit 303 reads background data corresponding to the rotation angle acquired by the rotation sensor S5 from the background data storage unit STA, and extracts point cloud data that is included in a range where the distance to the object is different from that of the read background data, based on the read background data and the detection results acquired from the object detection device S7 (S1402).

[0106] The clustering unit 304 clusters the point cloud data extracted by the extraction unit 303 and extracts the position, shape, and size of each object included in the point cloud data (S1403). The extracted object positions, shapes, and sizes are not stored in the background data storage unit STA.

[0107] Based on the information of the objects extracted by the clustering unit 304 (e.g., position, shape, and size), the output control unit 305 displays the area where the object exists on the display device using a different color from other areas (S1404).

[0108] The operation reception unit 306 receives a selection from the display device for a range (an example of information) indicating the position and size of an object to be excluded from detection (S1405).

[0109] The storage unit 307 modifies the information of the object corresponding to the selected range to correspond to each rotation angle, and then stores it in the background data storage unit STA, associating it with the background data for each rotation angle (S1406).

[0110] In this embodiment, the controller 30 has been described in terms of the processing procedure for receiving the selection of each individual object range displayed on the display device from the operator. However, the controller 30 in this embodiment is not limited to the method of receiving the selection of each individual object range displayed on the display device. For example, the controller 30 may have a batch registration interface for receiving the selection of all object ranges displayed on the display device. When the controller 30 receives the selection of all object ranges using the batch registration interface, it processes the output to suppress all currently detected object ranges.

[0111] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the suppression of the display of the range indicating an object by the controller 30 according to this embodiment. Figure 6(A) shows an overhead view similar to that in Figure 4. In Figure 6, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same displays as in Figure 4, and their explanations are omitted.

[0112] The operation reception unit 306 then receives an operation from the operator to touch the range 1711 of the object in order to exclude that range 1711 from the detection target.

[0113] Subsequently, the output control unit 305 displays a pop-up asking whether it is acceptable to suppress the display of that range.

[0114] Then, when the operation reception unit 306 receives a confirmation operation indicating that it is acceptable to suppress the display of the range, the output control unit 305 displays the overhead image shown in Figure 6(B).

[0115] In Figure 6(B), the range 1711A selected by the operator is displayed in white, just like the other ranges. Therefore, the operator can proceed with the work knowing that there are no objects of concern in the range 1711A.

[0116] In this embodiment, the storage unit 307 stores information about objects (e.g., position, shape, and size) in the background data storage unit STA, associating it with background data for each rotation angle. Therefore, even when the upper rotating body 3 rotates, the controller 30 suppresses the output of information about objects selected by the operator as objects to be excluded.

[0117] Specifically, after the operation reception unit 306 receives the selection of an object range, if the controller 30 performs a rotation operation of the upper rotating body 3 according to the operator's rotation operation, the determination unit 308 determines whether the object information (position, shape, and size) detected by the object detection device S7 matches the object information stored in the background data storage unit STA, which is associated with the current rotation angle. If the determination unit 308 determines that they match, the output control unit 305 suppresses the output of the object information that was determined to match. In this embodiment, the controller 30 can suppress the output of object information corresponding to the range selected by the operator even when the crane 100 is rotating. Therefore, the operator does not have to perform an operation to suppress the output each time the crane rotates, thus reducing the operator's burden.

[0118] Furthermore, the controller 30 according to this embodiment may suppress the storage of information about an object in the background data storage unit STA, depending on the location and size of the object.

[0119] Specifically, if an object is located at the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7, it is possible that the object is not within the detection range of the object detection device S7. When the position, shape, and size of such an object are stored in the background data storage unit STA, the determination unit 308 may determine that the object information detected by the object detection device S7 and the object information stored in the background data storage unit STA are not the same, even though they belong to the same object.

[0120] Therefore, in this embodiment, the operation reception unit 306 suppresses the acceptance of the selection of an object range if the range of an object displayed on the display device extends to the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7.

[0121] In this embodiment, any configuration is acceptable as long as the operation reception unit 306 can suppress the acceptance of the selection of the range of an object to be excluded when the range in which an object exists extends to the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7. For example, even though an object is detected in a 270-degree range, the operation reception unit 306 may only accept the selection of the range of an object when the object exists in a 180-degree range behind the crane 100, in order to suppress the acceptance of the selection of an object that exists at the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7. In other words, even when an object exists at the edge of the 180-degree range behind, the object detection device S7 can detect the object in a 270-degree range, and therefore can appropriately detect the position, shape, and size of the object. In this way, the storage unit 307 according to this embodiment can appropriately grasp the position, shape, and size of the object and store the information of the object in the background data storage unit STA. Therefore, the accuracy of object determination by the determination unit 308 can be improved, and the accuracy of suppressing the output of object information by the output control unit 305 can be improved.

[0122] Furthermore, even if the storage unit 307 appropriately grasps the position, shape, and size of an object and stores the information of that object in the background data storage unit STA, if the upper rotating body 3 rotates and the object is located at the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7, the position, shape, and size of the object may not match.

[0123] Figure 7 shows an example in which the position and size of an object excluded from detection by the controller 30 according to this embodiment change in accordance with the rotation of the upper rotating body 3. Figures 7(A) and 7(B) describe an example of an overhead view of the area around the crane 100. In the example shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), the object detection device S7 is capable of detecting objects within a 270-degree range 1501 and 1502 centered on the object detection device S7.

[0124] The controller 30 then defines the area within the range detectable by the object detection device S7 where objects 1511, 1512, and 1513 exist as an object detection exclusion range.

[0125] In the example shown in Figure 7(A), the controller 30 extracts the size 1521 and (center of gravity) position 1522 of object 1514 from the difference between the detection result by the object detection device S7 and the background data. In this case, the storage unit 307 stores the size 1521 and (center of gravity) position 1522 of object 1514 in the background data storage unit STA as data to be excluded.

[0126] Figure 7(B) shows the situation after the crane 100 has rotated. Object 1514 is located at the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7. Therefore, the controller 30 extracts the size 1531 and the center of gravity position 1532 of object 1514. The extracted size 1531 and (center of gravity) position 1532 are different from the size 1521 and (center of gravity) position 1522 stored in the background data storage unit STA.

[0127] Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 308 determines that the objects are the same if the object detected by the object detection device S7 is present up to the edge of the detection range angle of the object detection device S7, the size of the object detected by the object detection device S7 differs from the size of the object stored in the background data storage unit STA (in other words, the size of the object selected by the operation reception unit 306), and the (center of gravity) position of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is related to the (center of gravity) position of the object stored in the background data storage unit STA. Related to the position of the object means, for example, that the (center of gravity) position of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is estimated to be within the range where the object exists, as specified by the position and size stored in the background data storage unit STA. Related to the position of the object means that the objects are similar in position, for example, if the difference in the center of gravity position is within a predetermined angle.

[0128] Furthermore, the determination unit 308 may determine that two objects are the same if, as a further condition, the shape of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is common to a part of the shape of an object stored in the background data storage unit STA. Furthermore, the determination unit 308 may determine that two objects are the same if, as a further condition, the height of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is the same as or lower than the height of an object stored in the background data storage unit STA.

[0129] Then, because the determination unit 308 determines that there is a match, the output control unit 305 suppresses the display of the object's size 1531 and (center of gravity) position 1532, and also suppresses the output (notification) of the object by sound. Therefore, the accuracy of object determination by the determination unit 308 can be improved, and thus the accuracy of suppressing the output of object information by the output control unit 305 can be improved.

[0130] Next, the processing procedure for outputting information about the detected object in the controller 30 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for outputting information about the detected object in the controller 30 according to this embodiment.

[0131] The acquisition unit 301 acquires the detection result from the object detection device S7 (S1601). The acquisition unit 301 also acquires the current rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 from the rotation sensor S5.

[0132] The extraction unit 303 reads background data corresponding to the rotation angle acquired by the rotation sensor S5 from the background data storage unit STA, and extracts point cloud data that is included in a range where the distance to the object is different from that of the read background data, based on the read background data and the detection results acquired from the object detection device S7 (S1602).

[0133] The clustering unit 304 clusters the point cloud data extracted by the extraction unit 303 and extracts the position, shape, and size of each object included in the point cloud data (S1603).

[0134] The determination unit 308 determines whether the information (position, shape, and size) of a single object extracted by the clustering unit 304 matches the information of an object stored in the background data storage unit STA, in association with the current rotation angle (S1604). If the determination unit 308 determines that the position, shape, and size of the object extracted by the clustering unit 304 matches the information of an object stored in the background data storage unit STA (S1604: YES), the output control unit 305 excludes the object from the output target (S1605).

[0135] On the other hand, if the determination unit 308 determines that the position, shape, and size of the object extracted by the clustering unit 304 do not match the information of the object stored in the background data storage unit STA (S1604: NO), the determination unit 308 further determines whether the position of the extracted object is near the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7, whether the (center of gravity) position of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is within the range where objects stored in the background data storage unit STA exist, and whether the shape of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is common as part of the shape of the object stored in the background data storage unit STA (S1606).

[0136] If the determination unit 308 determines that the position of the extracted object is near the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7, the (center of gravity) position of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is within the range of objects stored in the background data storage unit STA, and the shape of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is common to a part of the shape of an object stored in the background data storage unit STA (S1606: YES), the output control unit 305 excludes the object from the output target (S1605).

[0137] On the other hand, if the determination unit 308 determines that the position of the extracted object is not near the edge of the detection range of the object detection device S7, the (center of gravity) position of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is not within the range where objects stored in the background data storage unit STA exist, or the shape of the object detected by the object detection device S7 is not included as part of the shape of objects stored in the background data storage unit STA (S1606: NO), it determines whether the comparison with the objects stored in the background data storage unit STA has been completed for all objects extracted by the clustering unit 304 (S1607). If the determination unit 308 determines that the comparison with the objects stored in the background data storage unit STA has not been completed for all objects (S1607: NO), it identifies the uncompared objects as the next comparison targets (S1608) and processes again from S1604.

[0138] On the other hand, if the determination unit 308 determines that it has finished comparing all objects with the objects stored in the background data storage unit STA (S1607: YES), the output control unit 305 determines whether or not there are any objects among the extracted objects that were not excluded (S1609). If the output control unit 305 determines that there are no objects that were not excluded (S1609: NO), it terminates by performing normal control.

[0139] On the other hand, if the output control unit 305 determines that there are objects among the extracted objects that were not excluded (S1609: YES), it outputs an alarm sound indicating the presence of an object and displays an overhead image showing the range of the detected object (S1610).

[0140] The controller 30 according to this embodiment can suppress the output of notification sounds and the display of the range of objects excluded by the operator by performing the above-described processing.

[0141] (modified version) The controller 30 according to the above embodiment is not limited to displaying detected objects in an overhead view as shown in Figure 4, but may display them in other ways.

[0142] Figure 9 shows an example of a screen output by the output control unit 305 according to this embodiment to a display device included in the output device D1. Figure 9 describes an example of displaying an overhead view image showing the area around the crane 100. In the overhead view image shown in Figure 9, an image 1801 showing the crane 100 from above is displayed, along with the monitoring range 1802.

[0143] The monitoring range 1802 shown in Figure 9 is defined as a range within a predetermined distance (for example, 2 to 3 m) from the circle indicated by the rear end of the crane 100 during the rotation of the crane 100.

[0144] Furthermore, the output control unit 305 displays an image 1811 of an object whose position, shape, and size have been extracted by the clustering unit 304.

[0145] In this modified example, the same processing as in the embodiment described above can be performed. That is, the operation reception unit 306 receives an operation from the operator to touch the image 1811 (an example of information) of an object in order to exclude the image 1811 from the detection target.

[0146] Subsequently, the output control unit 305 displays a pop-up asking whether it is acceptable to suppress the display of the image.

[0147] Then, when the operation reception unit 306 receives confirmation that it is acceptable to suppress the display of the image, the output control unit 305 suppresses the output of the object image 1811 and displays the overhead view image.

[0148] In the embodiments described above, the case in which the controller 30 functions as an information output device for the crane 100 was explained. However, the embodiments described above do not limit the information output device for the crane 100 to the controller 30, and other configurations are also possible. For example, a management device provided outside the crane 100, or a communication terminal held by the operator of the crane 100, may be used as the information output device for the crane 100.

[0149] In the embodiments described above, the case in which a crane 100 is used as the work machine was explained. However, the embodiments are not limited to a crane 100 as the work machine, and may also be applied to an excavator that can rotate and move according to the operator's commands. Furthermore, it may also be a forklift that can move according to the operator's commands, or road machinery including an asphalt finisher, etc.

[0150] <effect> The controller 30 according to the above-described embodiment and modified version can suppress the output of information related to an object when it receives a selection of the range of an object displayed on the display device. In this way, the suppression of the output of information related to an object can be easily achieved, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, the controller 30 according to the above-described embodiment and modified version can improve work efficiency by making it easy to suppress the output of alarms or displays when it is confirmed that the object does not require an output such as an alarm or display when an object is detected, thereby suppressing interruptions to crane operations.

[0151] The controller 30 according to the above-described embodiment and modified version suppresses the output related to the object (e.g., sound notification or display) based on the operator's input after the operator has confirmed the object. This makes it easier for the operator to recognize the output (e.g., sound notification or display) that occurs when another object is detected. Therefore, the operator can quickly recognize other objects, thereby improving safety.

[0152] Preferred embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure have been described above. However, the inventions of the present disclosure are not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications, substitutions, etc., can be applied to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the inventions of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each of the features described with reference to the embodiments described above may be combined as appropriate, as long as they do not conflict technically. [Explanation of symbols]

[0153] 100 Cranes 1. Lower running body 2. Swivel mechanism 3. Upper rotating body 4 cabins 5 Counterweight AT attachment S5 Swivel Sensor S7 Object Detection Device 30 controllers 301 Acquisition Department 302 Registration Department 303 Extraction part 304 Clustering section 305 Output Control Unit 306 Operation Reception Unit 307 Preservation Department 308 Judgment section D1 Output Device D2 Input Device

Claims

1. An output control unit outputs information indicating the position of an object, detected by a distance detection unit that detects the distance from a predetermined position on the crane body to the object, to a display device. The device includes a selection receiving unit that receives selection of information indicating the position of the object displayed on the display device, The output control unit suppresses the output of the selected information from among the information indicating the position of the object detected by the distance detection unit. Information output device for a crane.

2. The information output device according to claim 1, The distance detection unit, A crane equipped with a rotating body.

3. The rotating body is provided with the distance detection unit, The system further comprises an angle detection unit for detecting the rotation angle of the rotating body, Upon receiving the selection of the aforementioned information, and after the rotating body has rotated, the output of information corresponding to the position indicated by the selected information, which is identified based on the rotation angle among the positions of the object detected by the distance detection unit, is suppressed. The crane according to claim 2.

4. The output control unit outputs information indicating the position and size of the object detected by the distance detection unit to the display device. The selection receiving unit receives the selection of information indicating the position and size of the object displayed on the display device. The output control unit suppresses the output of selected information from among the information indicating the position and size of the object detected by the distance detection unit. The crane information output device according to claim 1.

5. The selection receiving unit suppresses the acceptance of the selection of information indicating the position and size of an object if the object whose information is displayed on the display device is located at the edge of the detection range angle of the distance detection unit. The crane information output device according to claim 4.

6. The output control unit suppresses the output of the information when the object detected by the distance detection unit extends to the edge of the detection range angle of the distance detection unit, the size of the object detected by the distance detection unit differs from the size of the object selected by the selection receiving unit, and the position of the object detected by the distance detection unit is related to the position of the object selected by the selection receiving unit. The crane information output device according to claim 4.

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