JPS6395584A - Visual device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize the constitution of a visual device so as to easily attach the device to a unit exploiting image information by separately providing a camera part and using a control part as a control part for processing images. CONSTITUTION:The camera part A for image pickup, an A/D converter 4 A/D- converting the image-picked up information and a memory 5 storing the A/D- converted image information are provided. In addition, the control part 7 is provided which controls the actions of the camera part A, the A/D conversion part 4 and the memory 5. The camera part A is provided separated from parts other than the camera part A. Simultaneously the titled device is constituted so that the control part 7 doubles an image processing control part for an external unit controller 8 connected to the visual device. Thus, the constitution of the device is simplified, and simultaneously the camera parts and the parts processing pickup images can be easily scaled down.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention provides, for example, image information for guiding the working hand of a working machine for fruits and vegetables toward the fruits and vegetables to be worked, and A visual device used to obtain image information for automatically driving along the boundary between the ground and the treated work site, specifically a camera unit for imaging, and an A/D converter for A/D converting the captured image information. The present invention relates to a visual device that includes a D conversion section and a memory that stores A/D converted image information, and a control section that controls the respective operations of the camera section, A/D conversion section, and memory. .

[Conventional technology]

On the equipment side that uses the image information obtained by this type of visual device, necessary control information is obtained by performing various types of image processing on the image information. When obtaining various control information based on image information,
Generally, digital image processing is performed using a computer.

By the way, generally, an industrial camera, a television video camera, or the like is used as the camera section for imaging. Since the image information obtained by these cameras is analog information, a memory for storing the image information as digital values is required between the camera section and the device that uses the image information. .

Conventionally, control is provided to control the operations of a camera section for imaging, an A/D conversion section that A/D converts the captured image information, and a memory that stores the A/D converted image information. It was designed to facilitate connection with external equipment that utilizes the stored image information. However, the control section for image processing, which processes the stored images, was provided on the external device side.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional visual device, the imaging camera section, the A/D conversion section, and their control section are
Since it is provided integrally, it is difficult to miniaturize the visual device, and there are restrictions on where it can be attached to equipment that utilizes image information captured by the visual device.

In addition, although the operation of the control unit for imaging operation is relatively simple, since the control unit for image processing is not provided on the visual device side, the control unit for imaging operation and the control unit for image processing are not provided. This has the disadvantage of making the device configuration complicated and expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to simplify the configuration of a visual device and to reduce the size of the device so that it can be easily attached to equipment that utilizes image information. The aim is to achieve this goal.

[Means for solving problems]

A characteristic configuration of the visual device according to the present invention is that the camera section is configured to include:
In addition to being provided separately from other parts, the control section is configured to also serve as a control section for image processing for external equipment connected to the visual device, and its functions and effects are as follows. That's right.

[For production]

In other words, by using the control unit for imaging operation as the control unit for image processing, the device configuration can be simplified, and the camera unit, which is often restricted in its mounting location, can be mounted on other parts. By separately providing the camera section and the section that processes the captured image, it becomes easy to downsize each of the camera section and the section that processes the captured image.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, while simplifying the configuration of the entire device, it becomes easy to downsize both the camera section and the section that processes the captured image, making it easy to install it in equipment that uses image information. Furthermore, since image processing is performed on the visual device side, the load required for image processing on the device side that uses image information can be reduced.

Note that in the control unit of the visual device, the processing required for the imaging operation and the image processing are both performed by one control unit, but since the processing required for the imaging operation is relatively simple, Even if the processing is performed by a control unit that performs image processing, no problem arises.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

As shown in Figure 1, there is an imaging lens (1) on the front side.
and, on the rear side thereof, a CCD or MOS type solid-state image sensor (2) and an integrating type amplifier (2) that amplifies the analog image signal output from the solid-state image sensor (2).
3) is provided separately from a signal processing section (B) that processes an image signal outputted via the amplifier (3).

To explain the configuration of the signal processing section (B), an A/D converter (4) that A/D converts the analog image signal outputted through the amplifier (3), a memory (5) for storing digital image signals, a camera controller (6) for controlling readout of captured image information from the solid-state image sensor (2) and operation of the amplifier (3), and the A/D converter ( 4) and a CPU (7) as a control unit that also serves as a control unit for image processing that controls the operation of the memory (5) and processes the image information stored in the memory (5), and an external device. The controller (8) is provided with five IOs (9) for inputting and outputting various information, thereby forming a visual device that can directly output image-processed information.

In the figure, (10) is a ROM in which operating programs and various control information for the CPU (7) are stored in advance;
) is information for various operations of the CPU (7) and information exchanged with the controller (8) of the external device.

RAM for temporarily storing species information, etc., and (12) an LU in which control information for image processing is stored in a table format in advance.
T, (13) is a switch for setting information regarding various processing conditions such as the operating conditions of the CPU (8) and the dark value of binarization in image processing.

Next, when the visual device having the above-described configuration is used as a sensor for detecting the boundary (L) between the unmown area (i) and the mowed area (ii) in the lawn mowing vehicle (V), The operation will be explained using as an example.

However, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the work vehicle (V) is configured to operate the camera section (A) from diagonally above so as to capture an image of the state of the lawn in a predetermined area in front of the vehicle body. It is installed with a desired view of the lawn in a predetermined area at the front of the vehicle. Then, at the center of the imaging field of view of the camera section (A) in the front and rear direction,
In the state where the boundary (L) is located, the work vehicle (V)
is set so that it is properly aligned with the boundary (L).

When the lawn on the front side of the vehicle body is viewed diagonally from above, the amount of reflected light differs depending on the presence or absence of grass, so the unmown area (i) appears darker than the mown area (ii). The boundary (L) is detected by determining the change in brightness of the captured image information.

First, the operation of the controller (8) on the side of the external device, that is, the work vehicle (V) will be explained. After outputting a sensor start signal instructing the start of imaging to the CPU (7), When the image processing on the side is completed, it is determined whether or not the BUSY flag indicating the operating state of the visual device outputted via the 5IO (9) is turned OFF, and when the BUSY flag changes to OFF. Along with this, a memory read signal is output and the RAM (11
) is read out, that is, information regarding the boundary (L), and based on that information, the processing information stored in the work vehicle (V
) will automatically travel along the boundary (L).

On the other hand, upon receiving the sensor start signal, the CPU (7) sets the BUSY flag to ON, outputs a control signal instructing the camera controller (6) to start imaging, and A/D converter (
4) A/D conversion of the analog image signal and storage of the digital image signal in the image memory (5);
Start each control.

Then, upon receiving an EOF signal from the camera controller (6) indicating the end of reading out one screen worth of image signals from the solid-state image sensor (2), the controller (8) of the external device, that is, the lawn mowing vehicle side, is received. ) After performing predetermined image processing based on the information commanded by the switch (13) and the information set by the switch (13), the BUSY flag is set to OFF, thereby indicating that the image processing has ended. The external controller (8) is notified via the 5IO (9).

Next, upon receiving a memory read signal input from the external controller (8), the RAM (
The image processing information stored in 11) is transferred to 310(9) above.
Then, the image processing for the - times of imaging processing is completed.

The image processing by the CPU (7) will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.・The A/D converter (
In step 4), an imaging process is performed in which each set pixel is quantized and stored in the memory (5).

Next, as one screen's worth of image information is stored in the memory (5), differential processing is performed based on the gray level value to indicate the amount of brightness and darkness change and the direction of the brightness change. Extract information.

Then, by binarizing the amount of brightness change based on the set darkness value, parts with large brightness changes, that is, edge points of the image, are extracted, and a huff is extracted based on the brightness change direction and the coordinate value on the image. By performing the conversion, a straight line passing through the edge point is extracted, and the frequency of edge points passing through the same straight line is counted, and the straight line with the highest frequency is extracted as the straight line corresponding to the boundary (L).

Parameters indicating this straight line are then output as image-processed information to the external controller (8).

Therefore, the external controller (8) uses information such as the position of the camera unit (A) attached to the work vehicle and the appropriate position of the boundary (L) with respect to the work vehicle based on the parameters indicating the straight line. Based on the boundary for the work vehicle (
For example, the positional relationship of the work vehicle (L) is calculated and used as steering control information for automatically driving the work vehicle along the boundary (L). The signal processing unit (B) on the visual device side may also perform the process of calculating the positional relationship between the boundary (L) and the boundary (L).

[Another example]

In the above embodiment, the solid-state image sensor (2) is used to configure the camera section (A), but an image pickup tube or the like may also be used. Further, the lens (1) may be made replaceable depending on the purpose of use.

Further, in the above embodiment, the camera controller (6) for controlling the readout of image signals from the solid-state image sensor (2) is
Although a case where it is provided separately from the CPU (7) has been exemplified, the CPU (7) may also be used for dual purposes, or the readout scanning may be made variable. or,
The pixel density of the solid-state image sensor (2) used may be set to a resolution of a captured image depending on the purpose of use, and the quantization unit of the A/D converter may be changed.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the visual device is used as a sensor for obtaining control information for steering control of a lawn mowing work vehicle is illustrated, but for example, a visual device for recognizing a work object in a work machine for fruits and vegetables may be used. The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and the specific structure can be modified in various ways.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenient comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings by the reference numerals.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the visual device according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the visual device, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of image processing, and FIG. 3 shows the state of attachment of the visual device to a work vehicle. FIG. 4 is a side view of the same. (A)...Camera section, (4)...A/
D conversion section, (5)...Memory, (7)...
...Control unit, (8)...External equipment.

Claims (1)

[Claims] It is equipped with a camera section (A) for imaging, an A/D conversion section (4) for A/D converting the captured image information, and a memory (5) for storing the A/D converted image information, and the above-mentioned Camera section (A), A/D conversion section (4), and memory (5)
), the camera section (A) is provided separately from other parts, and the control section (7) is provided with a control section (7) that controls the operation of each of A visual device configured to also serve as a control unit for image processing for an external device (8) connected to the device.