Image pick-up apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10533305-B2
Application number	US-201515559138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

A first stereo camera has a first image pick-up portion and a second image pick-up portion arranged on the right side of the first image pick-up portion in a lateral direction of a vehicular main body. A second stereo camera has a third image pick-up portion and a fourth image pick-up portion arranged on the right side of the third image pick-up portion in the lateral direction of the vehicular main body. The first image pick-up portion and the third image pick-up portion constitute a left image pick-up portion group. The second image pick-up portion and the fourth image pick-up portion constitute a right image pick-up portion group. The left image pick-up portion group and the right image pick-up portion group are arranged at a distance from each other in the lateral direction of the vehicular main body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image pick-up apparatus provided in a work vehicle, the work vehicle having a vehicular main body, the image pick-up apparatus comprising:
a first stereo camera attached to the vehicular main body, the first stereo camera having a first image pick-up portion and a second image pick-up portion arranged on a right side of the first image pick-up portion in a lateral direction of the vehicular main body; and
a second stereo camera attached to the vehicular main body, the second stereo camera having a third image pick-up portion and a fourth image pick-up portion arranged on the right side of the third image pick-up portion in the lateral direction of the vehicular main body,
wherein the first image pick-up portion and the third image pick-up portion constituting a left image pick-up portion group,
wherein the second image pick-up portion and the fourth image pick-up portion constituting a right image pick-up portion group,
wherein the left image pick-up portion group and the right image pick-up portion group being arranged at a distance from each other in the lateral direction of the vehicular main body,
wherein the work vehicle includes a work implement attached to the vehicular main body, the work implement having a central axis that extends in a direction of extension of the work implement in a plan view,
wherein an optical axis of the first image pick-up portion, an optical axis of the second image pick-up portion, an optical axis of the third image pick-up portion, and an optical axis of the fourth image pick-up portion are inclined with respect to the direction of extension of the central axis of the work implement in the plan view,
wherein, in the plan view, an angle of inclination of the optical axis of the first image pick-up portion with respect to the direction of extension of the central axis of the work implement is greater than an angle of inclination of the optical axis of the second image pick-up portion with respect to the direction of extension of the central axis of the work implement,
wherein, in the plan view, an angle of inclination of the optical axis of the third image pick-up portion with respect to the direction of extension of the central axis of the work implement is greater than an angle of inclination of the optical axis of the fourth image pick-up portion with respect to the direction of extension of the central axis of the work implement, and
wherein the optical axis of the first image pick-up portion, the optical axis of the second image pick-up portion, the optical axis of the third image pick-up portion, and the optical axis of the fourth image pick-up portion in the plan view intersect with the central axis of the work implement in front of the vehicular main body.

2. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first image pick-up portion, the third image pick-up portion, the second image pick-up portion, and the fourth image pick-up portion are arranged sequentially from left to right in the lateral direction of the vehicular main body.

3. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein an interval between the third image pick-up portion and the second image pick-up portion in the lateral direction of the vehicular main body is greater than an interval between the first image pick-up portion and the third image pick-up portion and greater than an interval between the second image pick-up portion and the fourth image pick-up portion.

4. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the work vehicle further has a cab,
the cab has a pair of front pillars, and
the left image pick-up portion group and the right image pick-up portion group are arranged closer to either of the front pillars than to a center of the cab in the lateral direction of the vehicular main body.

5. The image pick-up apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the work vehicle further has a cab,
the cab has a front window, and
the first stereo camera and the second stereo camera are arranged along an upper edge of the front window in the cab.

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Deguchi Akiyoshi
• Saito Shun
• Yamaguchi Hiroyoshi
• Kawamoto Shun
• Sugawara Taiki

Classifications

• G01C3/14

  with binocular observation at a single point, e.g. stereoscopic type (G01C3/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E02F9/261

  Surveying the work-site to be treated · CPC title

• H04N7/18 Primary

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · CPC title

• E02F9/26 Primary

  Indicating devices {(E02F5/145 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R2300/60

  characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective · CPC title