KR20140137477A - Method and Apparatus for Controlling Output of Construction Equipment Using Vision System - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling an output of construction equipment using a vision system comprising the steps of: photographing an image using a plurality of cameras; determining whether to work using the photographed image using the cameras; adjusting the number of revolution of an engine corresponding to a preset motion mode according to the determination on the work; and controlling the engine according to the adjusted number of revolution of the engine. According to the present invention, fuel efficiency of construction equipment can be improved and maintenance costs can be reduced by being provided with a method and an apparatus for controlling an output of construction equipment using a vision system which optimizes a motion mode by determining whether to work with the construction equipment using the vision system.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling output of a construction equipment using a vision system,

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling the output of a construction equipment using a vision system.

Generally, most excavators use a fixed RPM to control the mode of operation regardless of the load of the equipment. That is, the excavator operates according to the fixed RPM by subdividing the operation mode into a standard mode, a power mode, and an economic mode according to a work situation. This method has a problem in that the excavator operates in the same manner regardless of whether or not the work is performed due to the overall mode setting for the work situation.

In recent years, due to the nature of construction equipment, it is necessary to carry out work continuously. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an operation mode control method that can increase the fuel efficiency.

On the other hand, as another method for optimizing the fuel consumption, there is a method of controlling the operation mode by analyzing the load of the equipment. This method increases the output when the equipment is under load, and lowers the output when the load is released. In this method, the output of the equipment is determined by the control of the engine / hydraulic system. The output torque of the engine does not rise immediately according to the output command, but a slight delay occurs depending on the dynamic characteristics of the engine. At this time, if the output of the engine is increased under a high load condition, it is difficult to maximize the fuel efficiency. In addition, the responsiveness of the equipment is poor, which may cause user dissatisfaction.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for controlling an output of a construction equipment capable of efficiently managing an operation mode by judging whether a construction equipment is working by using a vision system It has its purpose.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling an output of a construction equipment using a vision system, comprising: capturing an image using a plurality of cameras; Determining whether the image is captured using the plurality of cameras; Adjusting an engine speed corresponding to a predetermined operation mode according to whether the work is performed or not; And controlling the engine in accordance with the adjusted engine speed.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, an output control apparatus for a construction equipment using a vision system according to the present invention includes: a plurality of cameras for capturing images; A work judging unit for judging whether the work is performed using the images photographed using the plurality of cameras; A vehicle control unit for adjusting an engine speed corresponding to a predetermined operation mode according to a determination result of the operation determination unit; And an engine control unit for controlling the engine in accordance with the engine speed controlled by the vehicle control unit.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to improve the fuel efficiency of a construction equipment by providing a method and an apparatus for controlling the output of a construction equipment using a vision system that determines whether or not the construction equipment is working by using a vision system and optimizes an operation mode. And the maintenance cost of the construction equipment can be lowered.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an output control apparatus for a construction equipment using a vision system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an output of a construction equipment using a vision system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

It is noted that the technical terms used herein are used only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. It is also to be understood that the technical terms used herein are to be interpreted in a sense generally understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs, Should not be construed to mean, or be interpreted in an excessively reduced sense. Further, when a technical term used herein is an erroneous technical term that does not accurately express the spirit of the present invention, it should be understood that technical terms that can be understood by a person skilled in the art are replaced. In addition, the general terms used in the present invention should be interpreted according to a predefined or prior context, and should not be construed as being excessively reduced.

Also, the singular forms "as used herein include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, the term "comprising" or "comprising" or the like should not be construed as necessarily including the various elements or steps described in the specification, Or may be further comprised of additional components or steps.

Further, the suffix "module" and "part" for components used in the present specification are given or mixed in consideration of ease of specification, and do not have their own meaning or role.

Furthermore, terms including ordinals such as first, second, etc. used in this specification can be used to describe various elements, but the elements should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as a first component.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like or similar elements throughout the several views, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. It is to be noted that the accompanying drawings are only for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the present invention, a system for photographing images of workplaces using a plurality of cameras and judging whether the construction equipment is working by combining photographed images is referred to as a 'vision system'.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an output control apparatus for a construction equipment using a vision system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, an output control apparatus for a construction equipment according to the present invention includes a plurality of cameras 110, a task determination unit 120, a vehicle control unit 130, and an engine control unit 140.

A plurality of cameras 110 capture images of workplaces. To this end, the plurality of cameras 110 may be installed in the boom and the arm of the excavator to check the construction equipment, that is, the working condition of the excavator. Generally, two cameras are used to analyze the position of the construction equipment. One camera can be mounted on the bottom of the boom, and the other camera can be mounted on the inside of the arm. In addition, at least three cameras may be used to obtain more accurate information.

Further, in order to analyze the position of the construction equipment, a distance measuring sensor (not shown) may be used together with a plurality of cameras 110 although not shown in the drawings.

The work determining unit 120 is an image processing system that combines images photographed using a plurality of cameras 110 to measure the position of the bucket and the position of the worksite where the bucket approaches, The position is used to measure the distance between the bucket and the work area, and the distance between the measured bucket and the work area is used to determine whether or not to work.

That is, when the distance between the measured bucket and the work site is less than the predetermined distance, the work determining unit 120 determines that the work is started and transmits a job start command to the vehicle controller 130. If the distance between the measured bucket and the work space is greater than the predetermined distance, the work determining unit 120 determines that the work is completed and transmits a work end command to the vehicle controller 130. [ Here, the predetermined distance may be different for each operation of the construction equipment and the operator. There are many factors that determine this, but the most important ones are the engine dynamics (1000RPM -> 1500RPM), the time required for the engine to produce the torque / RPM corresponding to the command, the worker's lever position And the operation mode set by the operator (power mode, standard mode, economy mode, etc.), and the like.

Generally, when an operator starts an operation, the engine output can be adjusted according to the number of revolutions of the engine corresponding to each operation mode as shown in Table 1 by setting the operation mode according to the operation characteristics.

Operation mode Max RPM (RPM)
Dig Mode

P + Mode work 1500 ~ 1600 P Mode work 1400 to 1450 S Mode work 1300 ~ 1350 E Mode work 1300 Lift Mode work 1200

The vehicle control unit 130 adjusts the engine speed corresponding to the predetermined operation mode by the operator as described above according to the command of the operation determination unit 120.

That is, when the operation control unit 130 receives the operation end command from the operation determination unit 120, the vehicle control unit 130 reduces the engine rotation number corresponding to the predetermined operation mode by a preset reference value (within 30% of the set maximum rotation number) . Here, the predetermined reference value may be determined according to the work pattern and the work characteristics of the worker.

When the operation control unit 130 receives the operation start command from the operation determination unit 120, the vehicle control unit 130 increases the reduced engine speed at the end of the operation and returns the operation to the original state. If the previous operation state is the start of operation, the vehicle control unit 130 maintains the existing engine speed.

In addition, when the time interval between the start of the job and the end of the job exceeds the predetermined time interval by analyzing the job characteristics (i.e., accumulating the time between job start and end of job) . ≪ / RTI >

The engine control unit 140 controls the engine according to the engine speed controlled by the vehicle control unit 130.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an output of a construction equipment using a vision system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of cameras 110 are used to photograph an image of a workplace (S210).

The positions of the bucket and the workplace are measured by combining images photographed using the plurality of cameras 110 (S220).

Next, the distance between the bucket and the worksite is measured using the measured bucket position and the position of the workplace (S230). In the embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the bucket and the work site is measured using a plurality of cameras 110. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and more accurate information Can be obtained.

It is determined whether the measured distance between the bucket and the work site is less than a predetermined distance (S240).

If the measured distance between the bucket and the work site is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance, it is determined whether or not the cargo is loaded on the bucket (S242). Step S242 may be omitted when a breaker is attached to the construction equipment during attachment. Therefore, if the distance between the measured bucket and the work area is equal to or greater than the established distance, it can be judged that the work is immediately finished.

If the cargo is not loaded in the bucket, it is determined that the operation is completed and the engine speed corresponding to the predetermined operation mode is decreased (S244). For example, in Table 1, the engine speed corresponding to the power mode is 1400 to 1450 RPM. According to the present invention, the engine speed corresponding to the power mode is reduced by 30% To 1015 RPM.

Thereafter, the engine is controlled according to the reduced engine speed (S246).

If the cargo is loaded in the bucket, it is determined that the operation is started, and the engine is controlled according to the engine speed corresponding to the predetermined operation mode (S250). For example, when the operator selects the power mode as the operation mode, the engine is controlled at 1400 to 1450 RPM, which is the engine speed corresponding to the power mode, as shown in Table 1.

If the previous work state is the work end, the reduced engine speed is increased and returned to the original state, and then the engine is controlled according to the engine speed corresponding to the original operation mode. For example, when the reduced engine speed is 980 to 1015 RPM as in the example of step S244, the reduced engine speed is increased to return the engine speed to the previous value of 1400 to 1450 RPM, .

On the other hand, when the measured distance between the bucket and the work site is less than the predetermined distance, the engine is controlled according to the engine speed corresponding to the operation mode (S250).

If the previous work state is the work end, the reduced engine speed is increased and returned to the original state, and then the engine is controlled according to the engine speed corresponding to the original operation mode. For example, when the reduced engine speed is 980 to 1015 RPM as in the example of step S244, the reduced engine speed is increased to return the engine speed to the previous value of 1400 to 1450 RPM, .

The above-described method can be implemented by various means. For example, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof.

In the case of hardware implementation, the method according to embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Digital Signal Processing Devices (DSPDs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs) , FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, and the like.

In the case of an implementation by firmware or software, the method according to embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in the form of a module, a procedure or a function for performing the functions or operations described above. The software code can be stored in a memory unit and driven by the processor. The memory unit may be located inside or outside the processor, and may exchange data with the processor by various well-known means.

The embodiments disclosed herein have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Thus, the embodiments shown in the drawings are not to be construed as limiting, and those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be combined with each other, and when combined, some of the components may be omitted.

Here, terms and words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed as limited to ordinary or dictionary meanings, but should be construed as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea disclosed in the present specification.

Therefore, the embodiments described in the present specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only examples described in the present specification, and not all of the technical ideas disclosed in the present specification are described. Therefore, various modifications It is to be understood that equivalents and modifications are possible.

110: plurality of cameras 120:
130: vehicle control unit 140: engine control unit

Claims (9)

A step of photographing an image using a plurality of cameras;
Determining whether the image is captured using the plurality of cameras;
Adjusting an engine speed corresponding to a predetermined operation mode according to whether the work is performed or not; And
Controlling the engine in accordance with the adjusted engine speed;
And controlling the output of the construction equipment using the vision system. The method according to claim 1,
Measuring a position of the bucket and a position of the worksite by combining images photographed using the plurality of cameras;
Measuring a distance between the bucket and the workplace using the measured bucket position and the position of the workplace; And
Comparing the measured distance between the bucket and the work site with a preset distance to determine whether the work is to be performed;
And controlling the output of the vision system. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the step of adjusting the engine speed,
Decreasing the number of revolutions of the engine corresponding to the predetermined operation mode by a preset reference value when the operation is completed and increasing the number of revolutions of the engine reduced at the end of the operation when the operation is started, Control method of output of used construction equipment. A plurality of cameras for capturing an image;
A work judging unit for judging whether the work is performed using the images photographed using the plurality of cameras;
A vehicle control unit for adjusting an engine speed corresponding to a predetermined operation mode according to a determination result of the operation determination unit; And
An engine control unit for controlling the engine according to the engine speed controlled by the vehicle control unit;
The output control device of the construction equipment using the vision system. 5. The method of claim 4,
The operation judging unit measures the position of the bucket and the position of the workplace by combining images photographed using the plurality of cameras, and measures the distance between the bucket and the workplace using the measured bucket position and the position of the workplace And comparing the measured distance between the measured bucket and the work site with a predetermined distance to determine whether the work is to be performed. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the predetermined distance is determined by at least one of an engine dynamic characteristic, an operation position of a work lever of an operator, and an operation mode set by an operator. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the vehicle control unit decreases the engine speed corresponding to the predetermined operation mode by a predetermined reference value and increases the engine speed reduced at the end of the operation when the operation is started, Output control device of construction equipment using vision system. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the vehicle control unit enters an auto idle mode when a time interval between a start of a task and an end of a task exceeds a preset time interval. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the preset reference value is determined according to a work pattern and an operation characteristic of an operator.

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