JPH07246013A - Harvesting work machine having recognition function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out correct and efficient picking work by measuring the position, shape, color and size of the picking object with a CCD camera and an optical instrument, inputting the measured information together with image information, performing arithmetic processing of the information and outputting a picking instruction from a controller. CONSTITUTION:A tractor 1 is provided with a hood 2 for shielding a cabbage 6, etc., from natural sunlight. An artificial sunlight source 4 for radiating the cabbage 6 with light and a CCD camera 5 having a laser projector are placed in the hood 2. The position, shape, color and size of the cabbage 6, etc., are recognized by a controlling apparatus U by taking the projection image of the cabbage 6, etc., together with two standard pointers from the CCD camera 5, displaying the data on a CRT display by dots simultaneously with the reception of the measured information on the cabbage 6 measured by the laser projector and processing each information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a working machine for harvesting having a function of recognizing an object to be sampled, and more specifically, to an object to be sampled introduced into the hood of the working machine with artificial sun rays. The present invention relates to a mobile work machine for harvesting, which irradiates and collects measurement information of the object to be collected into a control device via a camera, and guides and controls a sampling means by a command output from the control device to collect the object to be collected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to collect, for example, cabbage or watermelon as an object to be harvested outdoors, it relied on manpower, but when this is harvested by a working machine, for example, a mobile agricultural machine such as a tractor. It is conceivable to identify the position, shape, color, size, etc. of the object to be picked up by the human visual sense and artificially operate the hand equipped in the mobile agricultural machine.

[0003]

Since the work efficiency is lowered in such a manual work for collecting a hand and the hand operation requires skill, an operation by an unskilled person easily causes an erroneous operation. It may damage things. Therefore, it is desired to perform a quick, reliable, and efficient collection work by appropriately recognizing the position, shape, color, and size of the collection target regardless of the skill level.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the state of an object to be sampled, for example, the position, shape, color and size, is taken into a control device together with image information through a camera, and automatically controlled by a command output from the control device. An object of the present invention is to provide a working machine equipped with an automatic hand having a recognition function capable of guiding and controlling the hand and performing a qualified and efficient collecting work.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in a working machine (1) provided with a collecting means (3) for collecting an object to be collected (6), the working machine The artificial sun light source (4) is provided in (1) to provide the hood (2) capable of introducing the collection target (6) and blocking direct sunlight, and irradiating the collection target (6) into the hood (2).
Further, a camera (5) is provided, and further, a control device (U) for recognizing the state of the object to be collected based on the information captured by the camera is provided, and the sampling means (3) is provided by a command output from the control device. In the harvesting work machine having a recognition function, the work machine for harvesting is configured to guide the object to be collected (6) to collect the object to be collected.

Preferably, the camera (5) is a CCD camera equipped with an optical measuring device (10a, 10b),
At the same time when the projection image of the object to be sampled (6) is captured from the CCD camera (5), the optical measuring devices (1Oa, 1O)
In step b), the object to be collected (6) is irradiated with at least two reference pointers set at constant intervals, and these are referred to as C
The dot display is performed on the RT display (11), and the ratio between the actual reference point interval on the sampling object (6) and the reference pointer interval displayed on the CRT display (11) is calculated and the sampling is displayed as an image. A control device for recognizing the position, shape, color and size of the object to be sampled by taking in the measurement information of the object (6) and performing a comparison operation based on this measurement information is provided. Is configured to guide the automatic hand (3) to the collection target (6) to collect the collection target.

[0007]

Based on the above structure, the artificial sun light source (4) is irradiated onto the object to be sampled located in the hood (2) that is shielded from natural sunlight, and this is measured, for example, by an optical measuring device (1O).
The projection image of the sampled object (6) is displayed on the CRT display (11) through the CCD camera (5) equipped with a, 1Ob).
A dot is displayed on the upper side, and at the same time, the optical measuring device (10a, 1
0b) illuminates the object to be collected (6) with at least two reference pointers and displays them on the CRT display (11) in a dot manner to display the actual reference on the object to be collected (6). The ratio between the pointer interval and the reference pointer interval displayed on the CRT display (11) is calculated and the object to be collected (6) displayed as an image
Of the sampled object (6) is recognized by taking in the measurement information of (3) and performing arithmetic processing based on each information, and the automatic hand (3) is recognized by a command output from the control device. ) Is guided and controlled to collect the object to be collected (6).

In this case, by irradiating the object to be sampled (6) with artificial sunlight in the hood (2), the color of the object to be sampled (6) can be correctly captured as an image on the CRT display (11). The image processing performance can be improved.

Further, it can be used as a sensor when collecting an object to be collected (6) such as a cabbage, and guides the work machine or the hand by detecting the position or the distance or detects the size, the number, the color or the like. It is used for inspection of the degree of growth and selective collection.

The reference numerals in parentheses are for reference to the drawings and do not limit the structure in any way.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The harvesting work machine 1 is a tractor, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a hood 2 is provided on a side surface of the tractor 1 as a dark room for shielding from natural sunlight. A solar light source 4 is provided and a CCD (charge coupled) is provided on the ceiling of the hood 2.
A device (charge coupled device) camera 5 is provided.

The object to be sampled sequentially enters the hood 2 by the movement of the tractor 1, and the object to be sample 6 is irradiated with light from the artificial sun light source 4 to project a projected image of the object to be sample C.
Input from the CD camera 5 and perform image processing.

The image input device of this type of CCD camera 5 will be briefly described. That is, the image input device uses the image information as input information for a processing device (computer).
Is a device for converting into a data format (binarization information) that can be processed by and inputting it to the processing device. In general, image information to be input is represented by a two-dimensional distribution of analog amounts such as grayscale and brightness. In order to process the image information represented by an analog amount by a computer, the input image information is made into an array of two-dimensional lattice points, and the grayscale information and color information of each lattice point are sampled and extracted.
An image input device is a device having a function of converting the extracted value.

The input image information is imaged by dot display on the CRT display and high resolution is required. In this case, 256 × 256 is desirable.

The CCD camera having the above-mentioned function is mounted so as to be swingable in the traveling direction of the tractor 1, and the CCD camera 5 is provided with an optical measuring device described later.

The objects whose shape is not specified are, for example, cabbages 6a to 6d, which are arranged on the ridges 7 and 8, and the tractor 1 is advanced along the ridges 7 and 8.

Therefore, both side surfaces of the hood 2 along the ridges 7 and 8 can be shielded to the vicinity of the upper surface of the ground by the seat 9 or the like, but the cabbage 6 is provided in the front and rear direction of the tractor 1 in the traveling direction.
Since it is necessary to avoid interference with a to 6d, a slight gap is formed. Although natural light enters the hood 2 through this gap, a perfect dark room is not required in the hood 2, and such a brightness does not affect the accuracy of identification.

On the side surface of the tractor 1, an automatic hand 3 (collecting means) having a grasping claw 3a that can be opened and closed is provided at the tip of the tractor 1 so as not to damage the sample.
The image of the cabbage taken from the D camera 5 and the optical measuring instruments 1Oa and 1Ob, the position of the cabbage calculated by the control unit (computer) U based on the measurement information,
After recognizing the shape, color and size, the cabbage is properly collected by the multi-dimensional control of the automatic hand 3.

FIG. 3 shows a harvesting working machine 1'according to another embodiment, which is a harvesting working device (collecting means).
It is a dedicated working machine having 3 ', and has a hood 2, an artificial sun light source 4 and a CCD camera 5 as in the above embodiment.

Next, measurement and image processing by the CCD camera 5 and the optical measuring device will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

First, the optical measuring device is composed of a pair or three laser projectors 1Oa and 1Ob, and the pair of laser projectors 1Oa and 1Ob are set at a predetermined constant interval L.
And is arranged symmetrically and parallel to the optical axis 12 of the objective lens of the CCD camera 5 as shown in FIGS.

Although not shown, the CCD camera 5 is parallel to the plane including the optical axes of the pair of laser projectors 1Oa and 10b and the optical axis 12 of the objective lens of the CCD camera 5.
It is configured to swing around a support shaft provided in a direction orthogonal to.

The CCD camera 5 images the cabbage at a slightly wide angle, but the distance to the cabbage is actually in the range of 1 to 2 m, which is in the range of approximately 1: 1.

As shown in FIG. 5, the laser projector 1Oa,
A pair of laser beams (hereinafter referred to as reference pointers) are projected onto the surface of the cabbage from 1Ob, and parallel light from the projector is provided at two reference measurement points P at an interval L on the surface of the cabbage.
₁ and P ₂ are displayed.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which a projected image of cabbage taken by the CCD camera 5 is displayed on the CRT display 11. Therefore, for the distance L between the reference pointers displayed on the surface of the cabbage, the optical axis 12 of the objective lens
By performing triangulation with the inclined line connecting the respective reference pointers Pl and P2 from the upper reference point, the reference pointer P ₁ displayed on the surface of the cabbage from the reference point of the objective lens,
A straight line distance H parallel to the optical axis between P ₂ is obtained.

Next, the number of dots between the reference pointers displayed on the CRT display 11 is D ₀ , and the C of the object to be sampled is C.
When the total number of dots of the projected area on the RT screen is D ₁ , the actual projected area S ₁ of the sampled object is S ₁ = H ² (D ₁ / D ₀
² ) required.

The actual perimeter B ₁ of the object to be sampled is calculated by B ₁ = H (D ₂ / D ₀ ), where D ₂ is the total number of dots of the perimeter on the CRT screen of the object to be sampled. .

As described above, by setting the irradiation of the reference pointer on the object to be sampled, the actual area and the perimeter of the object to be sampled can be calculated from the dot ratio on the CRT.

In this way, accurate information about the cabbage can be obtained, and based on this information, guidance control of the hand and the working machine can be performed on the object to be sampled, and proper sampling can be performed.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The work machine is provided with a hood that shields the collection target from natural sunlight, and by irradiating the collection target with artificial sunlight in this hood, the colors of the collection target can be properly captured in the camera. The processing performance can be improved.

Since artificial sunlight is used as the irradiation light, stable irradiation is possible without adversely affecting the human body and agricultural products.

Further, since the CCD camera and the optical measuring device are integrally formed, the reference pointer can be always taken into the CRT display even if the field of view of the camera changes.

Further, the projection image of the sampled object is taken from the CCD camera and displayed on the display, and at the same time, the measurement information of the sampled object measured by the optical measuring instrument is taken in, and the arithmetic processing is performed based on each of the information. By providing a control device for recognizing the position, shape, color and size of the object to be collected, and guiding the automatic hand according to a command output from this controller, the object to be collected such as cabbage is detected. It can be used as a sensor when collecting, and can be used for inspection of the growth degree by detecting the size, number, color, etc. of the working machine or sampling means by position detection, distance detection, or selection sampling You can

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a harvesting work machine including a white moving hand having a recognition function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a working machine provided with the white moving hand.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a harvesting work machine according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a CCD camera equipped with an optical measuring device.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a CCD camera equipped with an optical measuring device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the object to be sampled is measured and photographed by a CCD camera equipped with an optical measuring device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which an object to be collected is imaged on a CRT display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Harvesting work machine (tactor) 2 Hood 3 Sampling means (automatic hand) 4 Artificial sun light source 5 (CCD) camera 6 Sampling object (cabbage) 1Oa, 1Ob Optical measuring device (laser projector) 1l CRT display Pl, P2 Standard Pointer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A working machine for harvesting, comprising a collecting means for collecting an object to be collected, wherein the working machine is provided with a hood capable of introducing the object to be collected and blocking direct sunlight, and the object to be collected in the hood. An artificial sun light source and a camera are provided to irradiate the object, and a control device for recognizing the state of the object to be sampled is further provided based on the information captured by the camera, and the sampling means is operated by a command output from the controller. A harvesting work machine having a recognition function, characterized in that the harvesting target is guided to the collection target to collect the collection target.