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US 10,262,411 B2Granted
Site scanning using a work machine with a camera
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorMichael G. Kean
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of detecting a defect in a surface of an infrastructure includes providing a work machine having a controller, a plurality of sensors including an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a global positioning sensor (GPS), and a camera oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface. The camera takes a first image of the surface at a first location, and information is collected with the IMU and the GPS at the first location. The method includes linking the first image with the information collected at the first location, and storing the first image and the information collected at the first location in a database.
Claims18
A work machine for traversing a surface to detect defects therein, comprising:
- a chassis;
- a plurality of ground-engaging mechanisms coupled to and supporting the chassis;
- a controller for controlling the machine;
- a plurality of sensors coupled to the chassis, the plurality of sensors comprising at least an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a global positioning sensor electrically coupled to the controller;
- a camera coupled to the chassis and oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface, the camera configured to take a plurality of images of the surface as the machine travels there along;
- a database disposed in electrical communication with the controller, the database configured to receive images and data associated with each image;
- wherein, as the work machine travels along the surface, the camera takes a first image and a second image, and the controller receives a first set of data when the first image is taken and a second set of data when the second image is taken, where each set of data includes a location, velocity, and orientation of the machine;
- wherein, the IMU is configured to determine a confidence level associated with the first image and transmit the confidence level to the controller;
- further wherein, the first image, the first set of data, the second image, and the second set of data are transmitted to the database for detecting a defect in the surface.
6 more elements
A method of detecting a defect in a surface of an infrastructure, comprising:
- providing a work machine having a controller, a plurality of sensors including an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a global positioning sensor (GPS), and a camera oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface;
- providing a database disposed in electrical communication with the controller;
- taking a first image with the camera of the surface at a first location;
- collecting information with the IMU and the GPS at the first location, the information including at least a position, velocity, and an orientation of the work machine;
- linking the first image with the information collected at the first location;
- storing the first image and the information collected at the first location in the database;
- controlling the work machine to a second location of the surface;
- taking a second image of the surface with the camera at the second location;
- collecting information with the IMU and the GPS at the second location, the information including at least a position, velocity, and an orientation of the work machine;
- linking the second image with the information collected at the second location;
- and
- storing the second image and the information collected at the second location in the database;
- determining gridded and stitched surface data from the first location and the second location of the surface;
- determining if there is a surface change between each grid point formed in the two sets of data;
- and
- performing a corrective action if the surface change is indicative of a defect in the surface.
13 more elements
A method for producing a path of travel of a work machine for maintaining compaction of a work surface, comprising:
- providing a work machine having a controller, a plurality of sensors including an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a global positioning sensor (GPS), and a camera oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface;
- providing a database disposed in electrical communication with the controller;
- taking a first image with the camera of the surface at a first location and a second image of the surface at a second location;
- collecting a first set of data with the IMU and the GPS at the first location and a second set of data at the second location, each set of data including at least a position, velocity, and an orientation of the work machine;
- linking the first image with the information collected at the first location and the second image with the information collected at the second location;
- storing the first image and the information collected at the first location in the database;
- generating a disparity map from the first image, the second image, and the information collected at the first and second locations;
- producing a first gridded and stitched surface data based on the first image and the first set of data, and a second gridded and stitched surface data based on the second image and the second set of data;
- calculating compaction between the surface at the first location and the surface at the second location;
- and
- producing a path of travel to achieve desired compaction of the surface at and between the first and second locations.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.