IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,726,708
Granted Patent B2
US 12,726,708 · App. 17/591,744 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Image capturing function control system and image capturing function control method

Inventors: Daiki Ishida (Hiroshima, JP); Ryota Hama (Hiroshima, JP); Seiji Saiki (Tokyo, JP); Yoichiro Yamazaki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
H04N23/695E02F3/435E02F9/265H04N23/66E02F3/32
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,726,708
App. No.
17/591,744
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system or the like capable of improving convenience of recognizing a surrounding situation of a working machine for an operator by controlling an image capturing function of an actual machine image capturing device in an appropriate manner in consideration of a state of the working machine is provided. When a working machine 40 is in the first state, an operation of a panning switch SW 1 and a tilting switch SW 2 is stopped, a posture φ of the actual machine image capturing device 412 when the operation is restarted is limited to an initial posture φ 0 . When the working machine 40 is in the second state, after the operation of the panning switch SW 1 and the tilting switch SW 2 is stopped, the posture φ of the actual machine image capturing device 412 when the operation is restarted is the posture φ as it is when the operation is stopped.

Claims (10)

1 . An image capturing function control system that controls an image capturing function of an actual machine image capturing device, the actual machine image capturing device being loaded inside a working machine so that the image capturing device can image an environment including at least a part of the working mechanism over a front window of the working machine and a pair of left and right side windows of the working machine and configured to acquire a captured image to be outputted to an output interface of a remote operation device through which an operator can operate the working machine remotely, a movement of the working machine being controlled according to an operation through an input interface of the remote operation device, the system comprising

an image capturing function control element configured to control a swing function as the image capturing function of the actual machine image capturing device according to a mode of a swing operation for operating an upper turning body of the working machine, the mode being input through the input interface,

wherein the image capturing function control element automatically returns a posture of the actual machine image capturing device to a predetermined initial posture which captures the environment including at least the part of the work machine by demonstration of the swing function in a condition that the swing operation through the input interface of the remote operation device is stopped in a first state which is a state where the working machine can be operated or a state where the working machine is working, and maintains the posture of the actual machine image capturing device as it is when the swing operation through the input interface of the remote operation device is stopped in a second state which is a state where the working machine cannot be operated or a state where the working machine is not working.

2 . The image capturing function control system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the swing operation through the input interface is stopped in the first state, the image capturing function control element makes the captured image acquired through the actual machine image capturing device be intermittently outputted to the output interface or makes the captured image when the swing operation is stopped be continuously outputted to the output interface, until the posture of the actual machine image capturing device is returned to the predetermined initial posture.

3 . The image capturing function control system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the swing operation through the input interface is inputted in the first state, the image capturing function control element causes the posture of the actual machine image capturing device to be a predetermined using posture by demonstration of the swing function.

4 . The image capturing function control system according to claim 1 , wherein the image capturing function control element limits the swing function as the image capturing function of the actual machine image capturing device in the first state, compared to the swing function in the second state.

5 . An image capturing function control method that controls an image capturing function of an actual machine image capturing device, the actual machine image capturing device being loaded inside a working machine so that the image capturing device can image an environment including at least a part of the working mechanism over a front window of the working machine and a pair of left and right side windows of the working machine and configured to acquire a captured image to be outputted to an output interface of a remote operation device through which an operator can operate the working machine remotely, a movement of the working machine being controlled according to an operation through an input interface of the remote operation device, the method comprising

image capturing control processing, which is performed by an arithmetic processing unit, configured to control a swing function as the image capturing function of the actual machine image capturing device according to a mode of a swing operation for operating an upper turning body of the working machine, the mode being input through the input interface,

wherein the image capturing control processing automatically returns a posture of the actual machine image capturing device to a predetermined initial posture which captures the environment including at least the part of the working machine by demonstration of the swing function in a condition that the swing operation through the input interface of the remote operation device is stopped in a first state which is a state where the working machine can be operated or a state where the working machine is working, and maintains the posture of the actual machine image capturing device as it is when the swing operation through the input interface of the remote operation device is stopped in a second state which is a state where the working machine cannot be operated or a state where the working machine is not working.

6 . The image capturing function control method according to claim 5 , wherein the image capturing control processing includes a process of limiting the swing function as the image capturing function of the actual machine image capturing device in the first state.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2022
From: ISHIDA, DAIKI; HAMA, RYOTA; SAIKI, SEIJI; YAMAZAKI, YOICHIRO
To: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058874/0515 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-045532 · Mar 19, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220303472A1 · Sep 22, 2022
References Cited (9)
US 10590628B2 · Ariga et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20060224280A1 · Flanigan · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20170050563A1 · Bosscher · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180051446A1 · Yoshinada · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20200208381A1 · Minagawa · 2020 [cited by examiner]
EP 3399744A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP H08020975A · 1996 [cited by applicant]
JP 2018021395A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
Extended European search report dated Sep. 9, 2022 issued in the corresponding EP Patent Application No. 22158537.5. [cited by applicant]