Construction Machinery Camera Fusion for Transparent Boom Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Construction machinery, such as wheel loaders and excavators, face reduced forward visibility due to work apparatuses like booms and buckets, which can obstruct the operator's view, leading to potential safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A control system that includes upper and lower cameras, a tire monitoring system, and an image processing device to synthesize images and adjust transparency processing areas based on tire pressure and work apparatus posture, providing an enhanced view by making portions of the images transparent where necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a work apparatus (boom, bucket) is installed in construction machinery to perform excavation and loading operations, then the productivity and functionality of the machinery are improved, but the operator's front view is obstructed, reducing safety and visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies transparency processing to the work apparatus in the displayed image, making it appear transparent or semi-transparent. This allows the operator to see through the boom and bucket structures on the display screen, improving forward visibility while maintaining the functional presence of the work apparatus. The transparency level can be adjusted to optimize both visibility and operational awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a display device showing processed images as an intermediary between the operator and the actual work environment. The image processing device synthesizes images from multiple cameras and applies transparency processing to the work apparatus, creating a visual representation that eliminates obstruction while preserving spatial awareness. This intermediary display provides the operator with unobstructed views of obstacles and terrain.
2Productivity
If the work apparatus is positioned to maximize working efficiency, then productivity is improved, but visibility for the operator is further reduced, increasing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous visual feedback to the operator through the display device, showing real-time images with transparency processing applied to the work apparatus. This feedback loop allows the operator to maintain awareness of the environment and work apparatus position simultaneously, enabling safe and efficient operation without compromising visibility for productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from direct optical viewing (2D/3D real world) to a processed visual representation (another dimension of information). By displaying transparency-processed images on a screen, the system creates a new informational dimension that combines multiple camera views and applies computational transparency, allowing the operator to perceive both the work apparatus and environment simultaneously in a way that neither direct viewing nor traditional mirrors can achieve.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional mirrors or cameras are used to improve visibility, then forward visibility is partially improved, but the complexity of the system increases and the work apparatus still appears as an obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated system: multiple cameras capture images, an image processing device synthesizes these images and applies transparency processing to the work apparatus, and a display device presents the final composite image. This unified approach eliminates the need for separate mirror systems while providing superior visibility and automatically handling the work apparatus transparency without additional mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical mirror systems with an electronic image processing system. Instead of using physical mirrors to reflect and combine views, the system uses digital image synthesis and computational transparency processing. This substitution eliminates mechanical complexity while providing more flexible and effective visibility improvement, including automatic transparency processing of the work apparatus that would be impossible with mechanical systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system for construction machinery includes an upper camera installed in a cabin of a rear vehicle body to photograph the front of the cabin, a lower camera installed in a front vehicle body rotatably connected to the rear vehicle body to photograph the front of the front vehicle body, a tire monitoring portion configured to detect pressure information on a tire provided in the front vehicle body or the rear vehicle body, an image processing device configured to synthesize first and second images captured from the upper camera and the lower camera into one image, and configured to determine a position of a transparency processing area in the synthesized image according to the tire pressure information and transparency-process at least one of the first and second images in the transparency processing area, and a display device configured to display the synthesized image transparency-processed by the image processing device.