Boom-Mounted Wide-Angle Camera for Crane Blind Spot Viewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crane apparatuses face challenges in surveilling blind spots that vary based on their type and specifications, making it difficult for operators to ensure safety due to the unpredictable nature of these areas.
Innovation Solution
A crane apparatus equipped with a wide-angle camera mounted on the boom, a controller, and a display that generates and displays surveillance images of blind spots using image data correction and transformation processes, allowing operators to customize and rectify images based on the crane's type, specifications, and operational conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor is provided at the tip end portion of the boom to detect obstacles, then obstacle detection capability is improved, but the blind spot area varies depending on crane type and specifications, making it insufficient for comprehensive safety surveillance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from point-based obstacle detection (sensor at tip end) to area-based surveillance by mounting a wide-angle camera on the boom. The camera captures images from multiple angles (front, rear, left, right sides) to create comprehensive surveillance images that eliminate blind spots regardless of crane type or specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The wide-angle camera system serves multiple functions: it captures images from various angles, processes them through correction and transformation, and displays comprehensive surveillance images. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for multiple specialized sensors and adapts to different crane configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the blind spot area is eliminated by using a wide-angle camera on the boom, then comprehensive surveillance is achieved, but the device complexity increases due to image processing and display systems
Solution Approach 1:
The controller acts as an intermediary that receives captured image data from the wide-angle camera, processes it through correction and transformation, and outputs surveillance images to the display. This intermediary approach organizes the complex image processing tasks and integrates the system components coherently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical sensor arrangements with an optical-based wide-angle camera system. The camera captures light from multiple angles simultaneously, eliminating the need for multiple mechanical sensors and their associated processing systems.
3Loss of information
If image correction and transformation processes are implemented to customize surveillance images, then operator awareness of obstacles is improved, but the processing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs image correction and transformation processing in advance to generate ready-to-display surveillance images. By pre-processing the captured images and storing the corrected data, the system reduces real-time processing delays and provides operators with immediate comprehensive surveillance information.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problem] To provide a crane apparatus that can eliminate a blind spot irrespective of a type or specifications of the apparatus or can eliminate the blind spot in accordance with a request of an operator. [Solutions] A crane apparatus 12 includes a safety device 17. The safety device 17 includes a wide-angle camera 18, a display 84 installed in a cabin, and a controller 70. The wide-angle camera 18 is installed on an upper surface of a boom, and takes an area around a tip end portion of the boom, an area facing the upper surface of the boom, side areas of the boom, and a rear area of the cabin, as a capture range. The controller 70 determines a kind of a surveillance image displayed on the display 84, based on first designation information stored in a memory 72 in accordance with specifications and second designation information indicating a screen designation by an operator, and generates surveillance image data indicating the surveillance image of the determined kind, based on the captured image data output by the wide-angle camera 18.