CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY

Abstract

A construction machine is equipped with a plurality of monitor cameras that capture the area surrounding a body of the machine. An image processor generates a synthetic bird's eye view image by synthesizing the plural camera images captured by each monitor camera into one. The image processor divides the synthetic bird's eye view image using one or more section lines into plural areas A, B, C, D, and expands the image size for area D corresponding to a blind spot behind and to the right side of the machine. At the same time, the image processor reduces the image size of the remaining areas A, B, C by a corresponding amount, in order to thereby generate a conversion image 60 which is the same overall size as the synthetic bird's eye view image while maintaining a complete view of the area surrounding the machine from all of the cameras. A monitor selectively displays either the synthetic bird's eye view image or the conversion image to the operator.

Claims

1. A construction machine equipped with a plurality of monitor cameras that capture images of the area surrounding a machine body, comprising: image processing means for synthesizing the camera images captured by each of the plurality of monitor cameras into a single synthetic bird's eye view image, then dividing the aforementioned synthetic bird's eye view image into the plural sections by one or more section lines, and expanding the image size of one said section while at the same time reducing the image size among other remaining said sections to generate a conversion images of the same overall size as said synthetic bird's eye view image; and a monitor that selectively displays one of said synthetic bird's eye view image and said conversion image.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein in the center part of said synthetic bird's eye view image, said image processing means is configured to display a predefined plan figure of the machine body in said bird's eye view image and said conversion image, and said image processing means is configured to define a first said section line to extend in a back to front direction along one side of said plan figure and a second said section line to extend in a right and left direction along one end of said plan figure.

3. The construction machine according to claim 2, wherein in the left front part of the aforementioned machine body is positioned a cab, and the first section line extends along the front end of said plan figure, and the second section line extends along the left side of said plan figure of the machine body.

Description

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a side surface drawing of a hydraulic excavator configured according to the present disclosure

[0012] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the hydraulic excavator shown in FIG. 1 (work arm device is omitted)

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the inside of the cab shown in FIG. 1

[0014] FIG. 4 is a block view showing an electrically configured part of a hydraulic excavator.

[0015] FIG. 5a is a schematic showing synthetic bird's eye view images; and

[0016] FIG. 5b is a schematic showing the conversion images.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following uses an example of a hydraulic excavator as a representative construction machine and explains while referring to drawings, about an embodiment of a construction machinery configured according to the present disclosure.

[0018] The hydraulic excavator 2 in FIG. 1 is equipped with a machine body 8 comprising a base carrier 4, an upper rotation body 6 installed rotatably on the base carrier 4, and a work arm 10 installed on the upper rotation body 6. The work arm 10 includes a boom 12, an arm 14, and a work tool 16. The base end of a boom 12 is connected rotatably to the front of the upper rotation body 6; the base end of an arm 14 to the front end of the boom 12; and a work tool 16 to the front end of the arm 14, respectively. Work arm 10 furthermore includes a boom cylinder 18 that enables boom 12 to rotate; an arm cylinder 20 that enables arm 14 to rotate; and a work tool cylinder 22 that enables work tool 16 to rotate.

[0019] Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the upper rotation body 6 includes a cab 24 positioned in the left front part of the upper rotation body 6, an engine housing 26 positioned to the rear of the cab 24, and a counterweight 28 positioned to the rear of the engine housing 26. Moreover, on the upper rotation body 6 are installed a plurality of monitor cameras that capture images of the area surrounding the machine body 8. As shown in FIG. 2, the monitor cameras comprise a front monitor camera 30 installed on the right front lower end of the cab 24; a rear monitor cameras 32 installed on the center, upper end of counterweight 28; a right side monitor camera 34 installed on the right side of the upper rotation body 6 centered in the front and back direction; a left side monitor camera 36 installed on the left side of upper rotation body 6 also centered in the front and back direction. The range captured by the front monitor camera 30 is shown as area F; the range captured by the rear monitor camera 32 is shown by the area B; the range captured by the right side monitor camera 34 is shown by the area R; and the range captured by the left side monitor camera 36 is shown by area L, all respectively in FIG. 2. Each area F, B, R, L is illustrated by dotted lines in FIG. 2, but the ranges captured by each monitor camera 30, 32, 34, 36 can mutually overlap. Moreover, the front and back directions and right and left directions used in this specification are those seen from the driver boarded inside the cab 24.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, a seat 38 for a driver is provided in the cab 24. On both right and left sides of seat 38 is provided a pair of joysticks 40 free to oscillate in all directions of 360 degrees that includes a cross letter shaped direction that consists of the back and front and left and right directions. In front of the seat 38 is positioned a pair of traveling levers 42 free to oscillate in back and front directions. In the right front direction of seat 38 is positioned a monitor 44 that displays various images. On the screen 46 of the monitor 44 is selectively displayed a processed image in which the image processing means 50 later described provides image processing to the camera images captured by each monitor camera 30, 32, 34, 36 (synthetic bird's eye view image later described and conversion image 60), machine information images such as remaining fuel amount, hydraulic oil temperature and engine cooling water temperature, and operation images for displaying maintenance information regarding hydraulic excavator 2. In the lower side of screen 46, is positioned a plurality of switches 48 to manipulate the images displayed on screen 46.

[0021] Hydraulic excavator 2 configured according to the present disclosure is equipped with image processing means 50 that provides image processing of each camera image captured by each monitor camera 30, 32, 34 and 36. As shown in FIG. 4, image processing means 50, which can be configured as a computer, is electrically connected to each monitor camera 30, 32, 34, 36, and the image information of each camera image captured by each monitor camera 30, 32, 34, 36 is input into image processing means 50. Moreover, the image processing means 50 is electrically connected to a monitor 44 in the cab 24, and the image information is output from image processing means 50 to a monitor 44.

[0022] Image processing steps executed by image processing means 50 are now explained. First, image processing means 50 synthesizes each camera image captured by each monitor camera 30, 32, 34, 36, 5, into a synthetic bird's eye view image 52 as shown in FIG. 5 of the area surrounding the machine body 8 as viewed from above. In the image processing means 50 is pre-stored a plan figure 54 of the machine body 8, which is displayed in the center of the synthetic bird's eye view image 52.

[0023] Next, the image processing means 50 divides synthetic bird's eye view image 52 into a plurality of areas by one or more section lines. Section lines are preferably configured as first section line 56 that extends in a right and left direction on a front end of the plan figure 54 of machine body 8, and a second section line 58 extending in a front to back direction on one side of plan figure 54, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5a. Then, synthetic bird's eye view image 52 is divided into the first area A, second area B, third area C and fourth area D by first section line 56 and 2nd section line 58. As understood by referring to FIG. 5, area D in plan figure 54 includes the backside and right side of the machine body 8 that are blind spots for the driver.

[0024] Next, the image processing means 50 expands the size of a specified area in the plural number of areas, and generates the conversion image of the same size as the synthetic bird's eye view image 52 by changing the size of the area other than the specified area among the plurality of areas in response to the expansion of the specified area. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the image processing means 50 expands the size of forth area D, and also reduces the size of the areas other than fourth area D, in order to generate a conversion image 60 with the same overall size as synthetic bird's eye view image 52. In detail, as area D of synthetic bird's eye view image 52 is expanded in both the front back and left right direction, the image of first area A is reduced in both the front back and left right directions to area A of conversion image 60. The second area B of synthetic bird's eye view image 52, in response to the expansion of 4.sup.th area D, the back and front size and right and left size both are shrunk and it is changed to 2.sup.nd area B of conversion image 60. Moreover, as to the 3.sup.rd area C of synthetic bird's eye view image 52, in response to the expansion of 4.sup.th area D, the back and front size are expanded, and the right and left direction size is shrunk and it is changed to the 3.sup.rd area C of the conversion image 60.

[0025] As described above, according to the present disclosure, the image processing means 50 provides image processing to the camera images filmed by each monitor camera 30, 32, 34, 36, and generates the synthetic bird's eye view image 52 and conversion image 60. The synthetic bird's eye view image 52 and conversion image 60, may be selectively displayed on screen 46 of the monitor 44 for instance by operating switch 48 of the monitor 44. When the synthetic bird's eye view image 52 or the conversion image 60 is displayed on screen 46, the upper rotation body direction of the plan figure 54 is always fixed, that is, the cab of plan figure 54 is positioned on the upper left side of screen 46, and the counterweight of plane figure 54 is always positioned on the lower side of screen 46. Moreover, as the actual upper rotation body 6 is rotated with respect to base carrier 4, in the synthetic bird's eye view image 52 or conversion image 60 displayed on screen 46, the base carrier of plan figure 54 is rotated with respect to the upper rotation body of plan figure 54.

[0026] In the embodiment shown, by displaying on the screen 46 of the monitor 44 the conversion image 60 in which fourth area D of the synthetic bird's eye view image 52 is expanded to D, without making the monitor 44 larger, the driver can surely recognize whether or not obstacles or other workers are present in the actual work area that corresponds to his blind spot expanded in conversion image 60. Moreover, in the embodiment shown, although the size is reduced, since the other areas A, B, and C are included in conversion image 60, the driver can still also recognize whether or not obstacles or other workers are present in those actual work areas. In this way, the conversion image 60 includes the same area as synthetic bird's eye view image 52, permitting the driver to confirm by conversion image 60 the safety of the area that is normally a blind spot for the drivers, while still being able to view the remaining surrounding areas of machine body 8. Hence, it is not necessary for the driver to remove a hand from the joystick 40 or traveling lever 42 during work by hydraulic excavator 2 and switch back and forth between the synthetic bird's eye view image and expanded conversion image display in order to confirm the safety of all the areas surrounding the machine body 8, thus the workability is improved.