Remote Machine Camera Zoom Control for Panoramic Operator Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote operation of working machines, such as hydraulic shovels, faces challenges in accurately recognizing the surrounding environment due to difficulties in displaying enlarged detailed images and maintaining appropriate display magnification, leading to obstructed recognition of the situation needed for effective work.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing function control system that controls the zoom magnification of an actual machine image capturing device, enabling panoramic recognition of the environment in one state and allowing arbitrary display magnification adjustment in another state, ensuring the operator can operate the machine effectively and recognize the environment appropriately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the display magnification of the camera is increased to display an enlarged detailed image of a specific part, then the operator can recognize detailed information of the working situation, but the recognition of the surrounding situation becomes obstructed and insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The display screen is segmented into multiple regions: a main display area showing the wide-field camera image for surrounding situation recognition, and a sub-display area showing the enlarged detailed image of the specific part. This segmentation allows both detailed information and surrounding context to be visible simultaneously without obstructing either view.
2Measurement precision
If the operator manually adjusts the display magnification to view detailed images, then detailed working information can be confirmed, but the operator may forget to return to minimum magnification causing obstructed recognition of surrounding situation
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs the action of maintaining minimum display magnification in the wide-field camera before the operator requests detailed viewing. When the operator selects a specific part for enlargement, the system has already prepared the main display area with the appropriate wide-field view, ensuring surrounding situation recognition is maintained from the outset without requiring manual adjustment or remembering to reset.
3Quantity of substance
If both an image for driving and an image for attention are displayed simultaneously, then comprehensive information is provided, but it becomes difficult for the operator to recognize what position in the driving image the attention image corresponds to
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-display area displaying the attention image (enlarged detailed image) is positioned in a specific localized region of the screen that corresponds spatially to the region in the main driving image. This localized positioning maintains the spatial relationship between the two images, making it easy for the operator to understand what position in the driving image the attention image represents.
Data Source
AI summary
A system or the like capable of making an operator recognize an environment around a working machine in an appropriate form in consideration of a state of the working machine. In the case where a working machine 40 is in a first state (an operable state), a display magnification of a captured image (environment image) outputted to a remote output interface 220 is controlled only in a range of a specified display magnification or lower, or is fixed at a value of the specified display magnification or lower. On the other hand, in the case where the working machine 40 is in a second state (an inoperable state), a zoom function of an actual machine image capturing device 412 is demonstrated according to a zoom operation through a remote input interface 210 by the operator.