Video display for refuse collection
AssigneeThe Heil Co.
InventorJohn Forrest Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refuse collection vehicle includes a grabber that is operable to engage a refuse container, a lift arm coupled to the grabber and operable to raise and lower the grabber, a camera that is arranged to generate video data of a scene external to the refuse collection vehicle, and a semi-transparent display device configured to display the video data generated by the camera, wherein the semi-transparent display is positioned within a forward line of sight of an operator of the refuse collection vehicle.
Claims18
A refuse collection vehicle comprising:
- a grabber that is operable to engage a refuse container;
- a lift arm coupled to the grabber and operable to raise and lower the grabber;
- a camera that is arranged to generate image data of a scene external to the refuse collection vehicle;
- a sensor configured to detect an operational state of the grabber;
- and
- a display system configured to:
- display at least a portion of the image data generated by the camera within a forward line of sight of an operator of the refuse collection vehicle;
- and
- stop displaying, based on the operational state of the grabber, the at least a portion of the image data, wherein:
- the sensor being configured to detect an operational state of the grabber comprises the sensor being configured to detect when the grabber has released the refuse container;
- and
- to stop displaying, based on the operational state of the grabber, the at least a portion of the image data, the display system is configured to stop displaying the at least a portion of the image data in response to the sensor detecting that the grabber has released the refuse container.
A method of operating a refuse collection vehicle to collect refuse from a refuse container, the method comprising:
- receiving image data from a camera coupled to the refuse collection vehicle and arranged to generate video data of a scene external to the refuse collection vehicle;
- controlling a display system of the refuse collection vehicle to display at least a portion of the image data received from the camera within a forward line of sight of an operator of the refuse collection vehicle;
- receiving a signal from a sensor indicating an operational state of a grabber of the refuse collection vehicle, the grabber being operable to engage a refuse container, wherein the receiving a signal from the sensor comprises receiving a signal indicating that the grabber has released the refuse container;
- and
- causing, based on the operational state of the grabber indicated by the signal from the sensor, the display system to stop displaying the at least a portion of the image data, wherein the causing the display system to stop displaying the at least a portion of the image data comprises causing the display system to stop displaying the at least a portion of the image data in response to receiving the signal indicating that the grabber has released the refuse container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.