Excavator Work Implement Profile Measurement for Accurate Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in accurately measuring and displaying the external shape of work implements, such as buckets, which are often deformed during manual manufacturing, leading to inaccuracies in machine guidance and control systems.
Innovation Solution
A work-implement external-shape measurement system that uses an image-capturing device and a measurement controller to capture and process images of the work implement's side surface, allowing for the calculation of shape-related information and the generation of accurate coordinate values and drawing images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual measurement methods (tape measurement, total station) are used to measure work implement shape, then measurement precision can be achieved, but the measurement process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses image-capturing devices to create visual copies of the work implement's external shape. Instead of direct physical measurement, the system captures images and generates coordinate information representing the shape, significantly reducing measurement time while maintaining accuracy through image processing and coordinate calculation algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical measurement tools (tape measures, total stations) with an optical-based image capturing and processing system. The measurement controller processes images to calculate coordinate information, substituting mechanical measurement operations with computational image analysis, thereby eliminating the need for physical contact and manual measurement procedures
2Manufacturing precision
If many measurement points are measured in advance to accurately display the work implement shape, then display accuracy improves, but the measurement work becomes very cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a comprehensive coordinate representation of the work implement shape through image copying and processing. By capturing the entire shape in images and converting to coordinate information, the system achieves accurate shape display without requiring separate manual measurement of numerous individual points, simplifying the measurement procedure while maintaining display accuracy
3Ease of operation
If only representative points are registered for work implement shape, then measurement work is simplified, but machine guidance and control accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The image-based measurement system captures the complete external shape of the work implement, generating comprehensive coordinate information for the entire surface rather than just representative points. This full-shape copying approach maintains measurement simplicity while providing sufficient data for accurate machine guidance and control, as the system can identify any point on the registered shape during operation
Data Source
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AI summary
A measurement controller (20): computes the position of a plane (S1) representing a side surface of a work implement (1A) in an image-capturing-device coordinate system (Co1) on the basis of an image of the side surface of the work implement captured by an image-capturing device (19) and an internal parameter of the image-capturing device; computes the coordinate values of a point on the work implement in the image-capturing-device coordinate system (Co1), the point corresponding to any pixel constituting the work implement on the captured image, on the basis of positional information on the pixel on the captured image and the position of the plane (S1); and converts the coordinate values of the point on the work implement in the image-capturing-device coordinate system, the point corresponding to the pixel, to coordinate values in a work-implement coordinate system (Co3) to output the coordinate values in the work-implement coordinate system (Co3) to a work-machine controller (50) of a hydraulic excavator (1).