# US 2013/0155241 A1 · Surrounding area monitoring device for work vehicle

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- Number: US 2013/0155241 A1
- Document ID: US20130155241A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/818,908
- Filed: 2012-05-23
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-07
- Assignees: Komatsu Ltd.
- Inventors: Tomikazu Tanuki; Shigeru Harada; Shinji Mitsuta; Eishin Masutani; Yukihiro Nakanishi; Takeshi Kurihara; Dai Tsubone; Masaomi Machida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155241A1

## CPC

- H04N 7/181: {for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources}
- B60R 1/27: providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
- G06T 3/00: Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image
- B60R 2300/303: using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
- B60R 2300/605: the adjustment being automatic
- B60R 2300/607: from a bird's eye viewpoint
- E02F 9/261: {Surveying the work-site to be treated}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00)

## Abstract

A surrounding area monitoring device for a work vehicle includes a first imaging unit, a bird's-eye view image creating unit, and a display unit. The first imaging unit is mounted on the work vehicle and configured and arranged to capture an image of a first region in a surrounding area of the work vehicle to obtain a first image data. The birds-eye view image creating unit is configured to create a bird's-eye view image of the surrounding area of the work vehicle by projecting the first image data on a predetermined virtual projection plane. The display unit is configured and arranged to display the bird's-eye view image. The virtual projection plane includes a shape that increases in height from a ground surface as a distance from the work vehicle decreases.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A surrounding area monitoring device for a work vehicle comprising:
a first imaging unit mounted on the work vehicle and configured and arranged to capture an image of a first region in a surrounding area of the work vehicle to obtain a first image data;
a bird's-eye view image creating unit configured to create a bird's-eye view image of the surrounding area of the work vehicle by projecting the first image data on a predetermined virtual projection plane; and
a display unit configured and arranged to display the bird's-eye view image,
the virtual projection plane including a shape that increases in height from a ground surface as a distance from the work vehicle decreases.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The work vehicle surrounding area monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein
the virtual projection plane includes a varying portion that increases in height from the ground surface as the distance from the work vehicle decreases, and a flat portion continuously joined to the varying portion in a location further away from the work vehicle than the varying portion and having a height from the ground surface that is uniform, and
the varying portion is located between the work vehicle and the flat portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The work vehicle surrounding area monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein
a connecting portion of the varying portion and the flat portion is located on the ground surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The work vehicle surrounding area monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein
the virtual projection plane includes a first varying portion that increases in height from the ground surface as the distance from the work vehicle decreases, a flat portion continuously joined to the first varying portion in a location further away from the work vehicle than the varying portion and having a height from the ground surface that is uniform, and a second varying portion continuously joined to the flat portion in a location further away from the work vehicle than the flat portion and having a height from the ground surface that increases as the distance from the work vehicle increases.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The work vehicle surrounding area monitoring device according to claim 4, wherein
a connecting portion of the second varying portion and the flat portion is located on the ground surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The work vehicle surrounding area monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising
a second imaging unit mounted on the work vehicle and configured and arranged to capture an image of a second region of the surrounding area of the work vehicle that partially overlaps the first region to obtain a second image data, wherein
the bird's-eye view image creating unit is configured to display by overlapping, in the bird's-eye view image, an image of the first image data in an overlapping region in which the first region and the second region overlap, and an image of the second image data in the overlapping region.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A work vehicle comprising the surrounding area monitoring device according to claim 1.