IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,440,591
Granted Patent B2
US 9,440,591 · App. 12/465,126 · Granted Sep 13, 2016

Enhanced visibility system

Inventors: Scott Svend Hendron (Dubuque, IA); Robert Charles Moore (Dickeyville, WI); Sean L. Mooney (Galesburg, IL); Nicholas E. Bollweg (New Vienna, IA); Kurt A. Chipperfield (Boone, IA)
Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
B60R9/055B60R1/00B60R2300/202B60R2300/301B60R2300/304
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,440,591
App. No.
12/465,126
Granted
Sep 13, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An enhanced visibility system for utility vehicles is disclosed. The visibility system may enhance an operator's view from the utility vehicle by making an obstruction appear transparent to the operator.

Claims (26)

1. A utility vehicle including:

a chassis;

at least one ground engaging mechanism configured to propel the chassis over the ground;

an operator station supported by the chassis;

a work tool configured to move relative to the chassis to move material;

an obstruction of the utility vehicle positioned between the operator station and the work tool, the obstruction having a surface area obstructing a view of an operator in the operator station from a vantage point;

at least one camera configured to capture an unobstructed image of the work tool, the at least one captured unobstructed image positioned beyond the obstruction of the utility vehicle, the obstruction being positioned between the operator station and the work tool; and

a display functioning as a virtual window for displaying a modified image based on the captured unobstructed image, the modified image formed by creating a viewing projection from the vantage point of the operator and identifying at least a portion of the captured unobstructed image located within the viewing projection, the viewing projection having an outer boundary defined by a plurality of outwardly projected rays centered at the vantage point of the operator and extending linearly toward the obstruction and through an outer perimeter of the display, the projected rays being outwardly spaced apart from the surface area of the obstruction, and the modified image corresponding to an area that would be visible from the vantage point of the operator without the obstruction to make the obstruction and the display appear transparent to the operator.

2. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the display is mounted in the operator station and the obstruction is positioned between the display and the work tool.

3. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the operator station provides at least one vantage point for an operator and the display is positioned laterally and longitudinally between the at least one vantage point and the obstruction of the utility vehicle.

4. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the obstruction is positioned longitudinally forward of the operator station.

5. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the work tool includes at least one of a bucket, a blade, a pallet fork, a bail lift, an auger, a harvester, a tiller, a mower, and a grapple.

6. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the obstruction includes at least one of:

a hood of the utility vehicle;

a door of the utility vehicle;

a roll-over protective structure of the utility vehicle; and

a boom structure coupled to the work tool and the chassis for movement of the work tool relative to the chassis.

7. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , further including:

a sensor configured to track movement of an operator in the operator station; and

a processor configured to communicate with the sensor and the display.

8. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , further including:

a sensor configured to detect an operator in the operator station; and

a processor configured to receive an input from the sensor and to identify the portion of the captured image based on the input from the sensor.

9. The utility vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor is also configured to identify at least one vantage point of the operator based on the input from the sensor.

10. The utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the display is configured to generate the portion of the captured image.

11. The utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the display includes at least one of a television monitor, a liquid crystal display monitor, a light-emitting diode monitor, a thin-film transistor monitor, a cathode ray tube monitor, a heads up display, and a head mounted display.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2009
From: HENDRON, SCOTT SVEND; MOORE, ROBERT CHARLES; MOONEY, SEAN L.; BOLLWEG, NICHOLAS E.; CHIPPERFIELD, KURT A.
To: DEERE & COMPANY
Reel/Frame 022679/0204 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100289899A1 · Nov 18, 2010