Visibility support system, industrial vehicle, visibility support method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12510368-B2
Application number	US-202318532711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2023
Priority date	Dec 22, 2022
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A visibility support system includes: a positioning unit that estimates a position of an industrial vehicle; a route prediction unit that predicts a route of a part of the industrial vehicle or an object moving together with the industrial vehicle with reference to the position estimated, and calculates an interference position at which an obstacle interferes with the route on the basis of map data containing position information of the obstacle; a display unit configured to be worn on a head of a person, the display unit having transparency and being capable of displaying image data; and a control unit that displays image data of the route such that the image data is superimposed on a position of the route in a real world viewable through the display unit, the route starting from the part or the object at the position estimated and ending at the interference position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A visibility support system comprising:
a non-transitory memory configured to store a program; and a processor configured to execute the program and control the visibility support system to operate as: a positioning unit configured to estimate a position of an industrial vehicle; a route prediction unit configured to predict a route of a part of the industrial vehicle or an object moving together with the industrial vehicle with reference to the position estimated, and calculate an interference position at which an obstacle interferes with the route on the basis of map data containing position information of the obstacle; a display unit configured to be worn on a head of a person, the display unit having transparency and being capable of displaying image data; and a control unit configured to display image data of the route such that the image data is superimposed on a position of the route in a real world viewable through the display unit, the route starting from the part of the industrial vehicle or the object related to prediction of the route at the position estimated and ending at the interference position, wherein the control unit is configured to, when the route interferes with the obstacle, display the image data of the route ending at the interference position by cutting the route at the interference position, and displaying with a far side of the interference position blocked.

2 . The visibility support system according to claim 1 , wherein the route prediction unit calculates the interference position by predicting the route of a work device included in the industrial vehicle.

3 . The visibility support system according to claim 1 , wherein the route prediction unit calculates the interference position by predicting the route of a work object conveyed by the industrial vehicle.

4 . The visibility support system according to claim 1 , wherein the route prediction unit calculates the interference position at a predetermined height by predicting the route of the part of the industrial vehicle or the object related to the prediction of the route at the predetermined height.

5 . The visibility support system according to claim 4 , wherein the route prediction unit calculates the interference position at the predetermined height on the basis of the map data containing position information of the obstacle at different heights.

6 . An industrial vehicle comprising the visibility support system according to claim 1 .

7 . A visibility support system comprising:
a route calculation device; and a display device, the route calculation device including a first non-transitory memory configured to store a first program; and a first processor configured to execute the first program and control the route calculation device to operate as: a positioning unit configured to estimate a position of an industrial vehicle, a route prediction unit configured to predict a route of a part of the industrial vehicle or an object moving together with the industrial vehicle with reference to the position estimated, and calculate an interference position at which an obstacle interferes with the route on the basis of map data containing position information of the obstacle, and a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the display device, specifying information specifying the part of the industrial vehicle or the object related to prediction of the route and information of the route ending at the interference position, the display device including a second non-transitory memory configured to store a second program; and a second processor configured to execute the second program and control the display device to operate as: a reception unit configured to receive the specifying information and the information of the route ending at the interference position, a display unit configured to be worn on a head of a person, the display unit having transparency and being capable of displaying image data, and a control unit configured to display image data of the route such that the image data is superimposed on a position of the route in a real world viewable through the display unit, the route starting from the part of the industrial vehicle or the object indicated by the specifying information at the position estimated and ending at the interference position, wherein the control unit is configured to, when the route interferes with the obstacle, display the image data of the route ending at the interference position by cutting the route at the interference position, and displaying with a far side of the interference position blocked.

8 . A visibility support method comprising:
estimating, by a computer, a position of an industrial vehicle; predicting, by a computer, a route of a part of the industrial vehicle or an object moving together with the industrial vehicle with reference to the position estimated and calculating an interference position at which an obstacle interferes with the route on the basis of map data containing position information of the obstacle; and displaying, by a computer, image data of the route such that the image data is superimposed on a position of the route in a real world viewable through a display unit, the route starting from the part of the industrial vehicle or the object related to prediction of the route at the position estimated and ending at the interference position, the display unit being configured to be worn on a head of a person, having transparency, and being capable of displaying the image data, wherein, in the step of displaying image data, when the route interferes with the obstacle, displaying the image data of the route ending at the interference position by cutting the route at the interference position, and displaying with a far side of the interference position blocked.

9 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program causing a computer to execute:
estimating a position of an industrial vehicle; predicting a route of a part of the industrial vehicle or an object moving together with the industrial vehicle with reference to the position estimated, and calculating an interference position at which an obstacle interferes with the route on the basis of map data containing position information of the obstacle; and displaying image data of the route such that the image data is superimposed on a position of the route in a real world viewable through a display unit, the route starting from the part of the industrial vehicle or the object related to prediction of the route at the position estimated and ending at the interference position, the display unit being configured to be worn on a head of a person, having transparency, and being capable of displaying the image data, wherein, in the step of displaying image data, when the route interferes with the obstacle, displaying the image data of the route ending at the interference position by cutting the route at the interference position, and displaying with a far side of the interference position blocked.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Logisnext Co Ltd

Inventors

• Akashi Takuya
• Tsukahara Keisuke

Classifications

• G01C21/365

  Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself · CPC title

• G01C21/3635

  Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps · CPC title

• G01C21/3617

  using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement · CPC title

• B66F9/0755

  Position control; Position detectors · CPC title

• G01C21/206

  specially adapted for indoor navigation · CPC title