# US 10,118,553 B2 · Excavation device using stereo camera and angle sensors to position bucket

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- Number: US 10,118,553 B2
- Document ID: US10118553B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/303,937
- Filed: 2014-04-24
- Published: 2017-02-02
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-04-24
- Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd.
- Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd.
- Inventors: Shigeru Matsuo; Noriyasu Hasejima; Kenichirou Kurata
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118553B2

## CPC

- H04N 13/239: using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence)
- B60R 1/002: {specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like (integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08)}
- E02F 9/261: {Surveying the work-site to be treated}
- E02F 9/262: {with follow-up actions to control the work tool, e.g. controller}
- E02F 9/264: {Sensors and their calibration for indicating the position of the work tool}
- E02F 9/265: {with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)}
- G01C 11/06: by comparison of two or more pictures of the same area
- G06T 7/593: from stereo images
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- H04N 13/204: using stereoscopic image cameras (stereoscopic photography G03B35/00)
- B60R 2300/107: using stereoscopic cameras
- B60R 2300/802: for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
- E02F 9/205: {Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles (E02F3/8866 takes precedence)}
- G06T 2207/10012: Stereo images
- G06T 2207/30252: Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
- H04N 2013/0081: {Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00)
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

Excavation is performed using an excavation device so that positions of a bucket and of an excavated material are measured with high accuracy. Safe excavation work is realized by having the excavation device include a stereo camera, and by recognizing a bucket from an image photographed by the camera, measuring a position of the bucket, recognizing an excavated material to be separated from the ground from the image photographed by the camera, measuring a position of the excavated material, and measuring a positional relationship between the bucket and the excavated material in the same screen.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An excavation device comprising:
an upper swing body supported by a base,
a boom interconnected with the upper swing body,
a bucket configured to perform excavation,
an arm interconnecting the bucket and the boom such that the bucket is vertically movable by the arm and the boom,
angle sensors to measure a position of the bucket, and
an external recognition device located between the arm and the upper swing body, the external recognition device including:
a stereo camera;
a means for recognizing the bucket from an image photographed by the stereo camera and measuring a position of the bucket;
a means for recognizing an excavated material from the image photographed by the stereo camera and measuring a position of the excavated material;
a means for measuring a positional relationship between the bucket and the excavated material in an identical screen; and
an angle sensor measurement unit receiving input from the angle sensors, wherein
when the bucket is present outside the photographing range of the stereo camera, position information measured using a sensor other than the stereo camera is used as the position of the bucket, and the bucket is moved using the input from the angle sensors to a position at which the bucket can be photographed, and
when the bucket is present inside the photographing range of the stereo camera, position information measured by the stereo camera is used as the position of the bucket, and the bucket is moved using the input from the angle sensors.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The excavation device according to claim 1, wherein
the position of the excavated material is set to a point which exceeds a predetermined length from the upper swing body of the excavation device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The excavation device according to claim 1, wherein
the means for measuring the positional relationship between the bucket and the excavated material recognizes the excavated material to be separated from a ground from the image photographed by the stereo camera.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The excavation device according to claim 1, wherein
an edge image of the excavated material is created, a boundary between rocks as the excavated material is extracted from the edge image, and the position of the excavated material is selected among points at the boundary.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The excavation device according to claim 1, wherein
the positional relationship between the bucket and the excavated material, which is measured by the stereo camera, is superimposed on the image photographed by the stereo camera and displayed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The excavation device according to claim 1, wherein
the positional relationship between the bucket and the excavated material includes any one or both of the position of the excavated material and a length between the bucket and the excavated material.