Crane Control via Video Overlay for Position Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crane operators face challenges in accurately estimating the position of lifting members and loads, particularly in high and sideways movements, and in navigating cranes through pre-programmed routes while ensuring safety and avoiding security boundaries, due to limited visual feedback and reliance on operator judgment.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses video cameras to form and combine images of the lifting point with indications of the current and future positions of the lifting member or load, taking into account crane movement, speed, deceleration, and programmed trajectories, while dynamically determining protection zones and trajectory limitations based on structural and safety constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If video cameras are used to form images of the lifting point and combine them with position indications, then the measurement precision of the lifting member position is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional camera systems and processing equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the lifting point environment through video cameras and superimposes it with a graphical representation of the lifting member's current and future positions. This copying approach allows operators to see both the real-world scene and the digital position data simultaneously, improving measurement precision without requiring direct physical measurement devices at the lifting point.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary that receives video feeds from cameras, processes the lifting member position data, and combines them into a single composite image displayed to the operator. This intermediary processing layer integrates multiple data sources (video feeds, position sensors, trajectory calculations) into a unified visual interface, managing the complexity of coordinating multiple subsystems.
2Reliability
If the crane operates along a pre-programmed route with evasive maneuvers, then the safety and automation of the crane operation is improved, but the ease of operation decreases as the operator must remember programmed routes and targets
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous visual feedback to the operator by displaying the programmed route, current crane position, and future stopping positions overlaid on the video image of the work area. This feedback mechanism keeps the operator informed about the crane's intended movements and actual position, maintaining ease of operation even when the crane follows complex pre-programmed routes with safety evasive maneuvers.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system calculates and displays the future stopping position of the lifting member in advance, allowing the operator to anticipate the crane's next movement. This preliminary action of showing where the crane will stop helps the operator plan accordingly and understand the programmed route without needing to memorize it, improving ease of operation while maintaining safety.
3Productivity
If the lifting member moves high up and sideways far from the user, then the productivity of the crane operation is improved, but the measurement precision of the lifting member position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from direct visual estimation to a two-dimensional video image representation that captures the lifting point environment from an optimal viewing angle. By projecting the three-dimensional lifting member position onto a two-dimensional video frame with overlaid position indicators, the system maintains measurement precision even when the lifting member is far from the operator's direct line of sight, enabling extended lifting reach while preserving position accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, computer program and equipment for controlling a crane and method for updating a crane. A crane is controlled or the crane is updated to be controlled by: a) forming video image at a lifting point of a crane; b) determining a current and a future position of a lifting member or of a load with respect to the formed video image; c) combining to the formed video image an indication of the future position of the lifting member or of the load; and d) performing repeatedly again steps b) and c) for real time indicating of the future position of the lifting member or of the load.