EP-4742173-A1 - WORK VEHICLE PERCEPTION SYSTEM

Abstract

A perception system for a work vehicle includes a sensor pod having multiple monocular imaging devices with second and third imaging devices being disposed intermediate first and fourth imaging devices. A controller receives multiple two-dimensional images from the imaging devices and develops a first three-dimensional image from first and the third two-dimensional images, a second three-dimensional image from second and the fourth two-dimensional images, and a third three-dimensional image from second and the third two-dimensional images. The controller analyzes the three-dimensional images to determine the presence of an object in a path of the work vehicle within a predetermined distance and generates an alert.

Inventors

• RYAN, ALEX M
• DEMSKI, NATHAN
• ELCANO, Michael A
• MAHARSHI, ATUL
• CLINE, Benjamin Kahn
• MENG, JIAYUAN
• RAMSAY, CAMDEN
• GOTSCH, DANIEL
• ANIGSTEIN, PABLO

Assignees

• Deere & Company

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20250930

Claims (15)

1. A perception system for a work vehicle, comprising: a sensor pod disposed on the work vehicle, the sensor pod having first, second, third, and fourth monocular imaging devices spaced apart along an axis of the sensor pod, wherein first, second, third, and fourth monocular imaging devices have first, second, third, and fourth optical axes, the second and third imaging devices are disposed intermediate the first and fourth imaging devices, and the first, second, third, and fourth optical axes are directed away from the work vehicle; and a controller having a processing and memory architecture configured to execute instructions to: receive first, second, third, and fourth two-dimensional images from the first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices, respectively; develop a first three-dimensional image from the first and the third two-dimensional images, a second three-dimensional image from the second and the fourth two-dimensional images, and a third three-dimensional image from the second and the third two-dimensional images; analyze the first, second, and third three-dimensional images to determine presence of an object in a path of the work vehicle and within at least a predetermined distance from the work vehicle; and generate an alert associated with the presence of the object.
2. The perception system of claim 1, wherein the first and third imaging devices form a first stereo pair having a first baseline and the second and fourth imaging devices form a second stereo pair having a second baseline, and a portion of the first baseline overlaps a portion of the second baseline.
3. The perception system of claim 1 or 2, wherein none of the first, second, third, and fourth optical axes are parallel.
4. The perception system of claim 3, wherein the first imaging device is disposed proximate a first side of the sensor pod, the first optical axis and the third optical axis are directed to a second side of the sensor pod opposite the first side.
5. The perception system of claim 3 or 4, wherein the first optical axis forms a shallower acute angle relative to an axis of the sensor pod than the second optical axis.
6. The perception system of any preceding claim, wherein the first and the third imaging devices are separated by a predetermined distance and the second and the fourth imaging devices are separated by the predetermined distance.
7. The perception system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined distance is between 450 millimeters and 550 millimeters.
8. The perception system of any preceding claim, wherein the sensor pod comprises a first sensor pod, the perception system further comprising second, third, and fourth sensor pods each having four imaging devices, and the controller develops three three-dimensional images from the imaging devices of each sensor pod.
9. The perception system of claim 8, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sensor pods are disposed on a front, rear, left-side, and right-side of the work vehicle, respectively.
10. The perception system of claim 9, wherein adjacent fields of views of three-dimensional images developed from the imaging devices of the first, second, third, and fourth sensor pods have overlapping regions.
11. The perception system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth sensor pods are disposed on a roof of the work vehicle.
12. The perception system of any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to determine the object is associated with a human and in response causes termination of operation of the work vehicle.
13. A work vehicle, comprising: first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices disposed spaced apart along a side of the work vehicle, wherein first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices have first, second, third, and fourth optical axes, the second and third imaging devices are disposed intermediate the first and fourth imaging devices, and the first, second, third, and fourth optical axes are directed away from the side of the work vehicle; and a work vehicle perception system controller having a processing and memory architecture configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to: receive first, second, third, and fourth two-dimensional images from the first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices, respectively; develop a first three-dimensional image from the first and the third two-dimensional images, a second three-dimensional image from the second and the fourth two-dimensional images, and a third three-dimensional image from the second and the third two-dimensional images; analyze the first, second, and third three-dimensional images to determine presence of an object between the side of the work vehicle and less than a predetermined distance from the work vehicle; and generate an alert associated with the presence of the object.
14. The work vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices comprise a first sensor pod, the work vehicle further comprising second, third, and fourth sensor pods each having four imaging devices, wherein the controller develops three three-dimensional images from the imaging devices of each sensor pod, and the first, second, third, and fourth sensor pods are disposed on a roof of the work vehicle and on a front, rear, left-side, and right-side of the work vehicle, respectively.
15. The work vehicle of claim 13 or 14, wherein adjacent fields of views of three-dimensional images generated from the imaging devices of the first, second, third, and fourth sensor pods have overlapping regions and the work vehicle perception system controller is configured to determine the object is associated with a human and in response causes termination of operation of the work vehicle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/718,895, filed November 11, 2024, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure generally relates to environmental sensing and detection for work vehicles and in particular work vehicle perception systems. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Heavy-duty work vehicles, such as those used in the agricultural, construction, forestry, mining, and other industries, may be configured to traverse an environment operate while detecting and optionally avoiding objects in such environment. A work vehicle may be outfitted with a work vehicle perception system that may include one or more devices configured to generate images of the environment surrounding the work vehicle, the images may be analyzed and utilized to support, for example, operation of the work vehicle including navigation, object detection, or environment mapping functions. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure provides a perception system for a work vehicle includes a sensor pod disposed on the work vehicle. The sensor pod has first, second, third, and fourth monocular imaging devices spaced apart along an axis of the sensor pod. The first, second, third, and fourth monocular imaging devices have first, second, third, and fourth optical axes, the second and third imaging devices are disposed intermediate the first and fourth imaging devices, and the first, second, third, and fourth optical axes are directed away from the work vehicle. A controller has a processing and memory architecture configured to execute instructions to receive first, second, third, and fourth two-dimensional images from the first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices, respectively. The controller is further configured to develop a first three-dimensional image from the first and the third two-dimensional images, a second three-dimensional image from the second and the fourth two-dimensional images, and a third three-dimensional image from the second and the third two-dimensional images, and analyze the first, second, and third three-dimensional images to determine presence of an object in a path of the work vehicle and within at least a predetermined distance from the work vehicle. In addition, the controller is configured to generate an alert associated with the presence of the object. The present disclosure also provides a work vehicle that includes first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices disposed spaced apart along a side of the work vehicle. The first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices have first, second, third, and fourth optical axes, the second and third imaging devices are disposed intermediate the first and fourth imaging devices, and the first, second, third, and fourth optical axes are directed away from the side of the work vehicle. The work vehicle also includes a work vehicle perception system controller having a processing and memory architecture configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to receive first, second, third, and fourth two-dimensional images from the first, second, third, and fourth imaging devices, respectively, and develop a first three-dimensional image from the first and the third two-dimensional images, a second three-dimensional image from the second and the fourth two-dimensional images, and a third three-dimensional image from the second and the third two-dimensional images. The work vehicle perception system controller is further configured to analyze the first, second, and third three-dimensional images to determine presence of an object between the side of the work vehicle and less than a predetermined distance from the work vehicle and generate an alert associated with the presence of the object. In some aspects, the first and third imaging devices form a first stereo pair having a first baseline and the second and fourth imaging devices form a second stereo pair having a second baseline, and a portion of the first baseline overlaps a portion of the second baseline. In some aspects, none of the first, second, third, and fourth optical axes are parallel. In some aspects, wherein the first imaging device is disposed proximate a first side of the sensor pod and/or the work vehicle, the first optical axis and the third optical axis are directed to a second side of the sensor pod and/or work vehicle opposite the first side. In some cases, the first optical axis forms a shallower acute angle relative to an axis of the sensor pod than the second optical axis. In some aspects, the first and the third imaging devices are separated by a predetermined distance and the second and the fourth imaging devices are separated by the predetermined distance. In some cases, the predetermined distance is between 450 millimeters and 550 millimeters. In some aspects, the sensor pod comprises a fi