Remote Work Machine Sensing Map for Target Hazard Positioning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Operators have difficulty determining if a target is at a dangerous position relative to a vehicle based on monitoring images, making it challenging to assess potential hazards.

Innovation Solution

A remote control assistance system that includes sensors to detect the surrounding area and display a sensing map with caution zones, emergency stop zones, and warning zones, emphasizing target objects based on their proximity to the vehicle, and adjusting displays based on vehicle speed and steering angle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a monitoring image with superimposed future vehicle position is displayed, then the operator can see where the vehicle will be, but it remains difficult to determine whether a target is at a dangerous position

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePositional relationship informationVSAvoidHazard assessment capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring image is segmented into multiple functional layers: the base monitoring image showing the environment, overlayed with caution zones (emergency stop zone and warning zone) representing safe and hazardous areas, and target objects indicating detected entities. This segmentation allows the operator to separately process spatial information, hazard zones, and target positions, making it easier to determine dangerous positions by checking target locations against zone boundaries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transforms the two-dimensional monitoring image into a multi-dimensional information space by adding hierarchical zone layers (emergency stop zone inner layer, warning zone outer layer) and target object attributes (position, type, distance). This dimensional enrichment provides depth information about spatial relationships, allowing operators to assess danger levels by evaluating targets' positions relative to multiple concentric zones rather than just flat image coordinates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If multiple sensors and processing units are added to improve target detection accuracy, then hazard identification improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveTarget position detection accuracyVSAvoidSensor and processing system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system is designed with multi-functionality where sensors detect not only target presence but also simultaneously determine target position, distance, and categorize targets into different types. The processing unit universally handles multiple tasks: generating monitoring images, calculating future vehicle positions, defining caution zones, detecting targets, and determining spatial relationships between targets and zones. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, managing complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges the detection and processing functions into an integrated architecture where sensor data processing, target detection, zone calculation, and monitoring image generation are combined in a unified processing unit. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate independent systems for each function, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive target detection and hazard identification capabilities through coordinated processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4609685A1Remote operation assistance system for work machine and remote apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4609685A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4609685A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4609685A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To allow an operator to easily understand the positional relationship between a working machine (1) and a target. A remote control assistance system (100) for a working machine (1) includes a sensor (25), and a remote apparatus (30) including a display (34) to display sensing information obtained through sensing by the sensor (25) and a controller (31) to control the display (34). The controller (31) is configured or programmed to cause the display (34) to display a sensing map (41) indicating a surrounding area of the working machine (1) and a caution zone (52, 53) in the surrounding area and, when the sensing information includes a target (61a, 61b, 61c) in the surrounding area of the working machine (1), cause the display (34) to display a target object (56a, 56b, 56c) indicating a position of the target (61a, 61b, 61c) on the sensing map (41).