Bird's-eye view image generation for work vehicle swivel base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Work vehicles with a swivel base and cabin face challenges in eliminating blind angles, making it difficult to visualize the surroundings completely, especially when the swivel base is swivelable, as existing bird's-eye view image systems struggle to provide a comprehensive view over the entire circumference.
Innovation Solution
A bird's-eye view image system utilizing six cameras, including first and second front/rear cameras positioned on the traveling body and swivel base, respectively, to capture images from various angles, which are then processed and displayed on a control unit and display unit to generate a comprehensive view of the surroundings, with the control unit superimposing markers to represent the vehicle's position and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a swivel base with cabin is provided on the traveling body, then the operator can have a flexible viewing position, but blind angles remain and complete surrounding visibility cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bird's-eye view image generation system as an intermediary between the operator and the actual surroundings. Multiple cameras capture images from different positions (front, rear, left, right), and these images are processed to create a comprehensive overhead view that eliminates blind angles, allowing the operator to see all surroundings despite the cabin's fixed position on the swivel base
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from ground-level viewing (2D horizontal plane) to aerial bird's-eye view (3D overhead perspective). By generating images from a virtual overhead position and combining multiple camera views, the system provides complete surrounding visibility that cannot be achieved from any ground-level cabin position
2Loss of information
If multiple cameras are used to capture images from different positions, then complete surrounding visibility is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the surrounding environment into multiple segments (front, rear, left, right areas) and assigns specific cameras to capture each segment. This segmentation allows comprehensive coverage while maintaining a manageable camera configuration, where each camera has a dedicated function rather than requiring a complex omnidirectional system
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit performs multiple functions: it processes images from different cameras, generates the bird's-eye view composite image, displays it on the monitor, and can also output it to external devices. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each task, simplifying the overall device complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a bird's-eye view image system, a work vehicle, a bird's-eye view image display method, and a program with which it is possible to make the surroundings of a traveling body provided with a swivel base having a cabin visible over the entire circumference. The bird's-eye view image system is provided with a plurality of cameras for acquiring a surrounding image of the work vehicle, a display unit for displaying a bird's-eye view image based on the image acquired by the plurality of cameras, and a control unit for causing a bird's-eye view image to be generated and displayed by the display unit. The plurality of cameras have a first front camera provided in the traveling body for acquiring an image ahead of the travelling body, a first rear camera provided in the traveling body for acquiring an image backward of the traveling body, a right camera provided on the swivel base for acquiring an image rightward of the swivel base, and a left camera provided on the swivel base for acquiring an image leftward of the swivel base.