Patent Description:
The handling of loads in ports, steelworks, industrial, logistic and commercial environments requires the vehicles for lifting and transporting loads to be driven safely to guarantee the protection of the health of the operators, or in general of the people operating or transiting through a concerned area. For this purpose, it is necessary to prevent or avoid collisions between lifting and/or transporting vehicles and persons or objects or other vehicles present or transiting through the maneuvering area.

Companies in the sector invest a lot in the training and monitoring of the operators in charge of driving these vehicles, e.g. by subjecting operators to medical checks, providing training courses, or requiring these vehicles to be driven by operators holding special licenses.

From a technological point of view, it is known to equip these vehicles with safety devices of various kinds, e.g., acoustic or luminous warnings, such as buzzers, sirens, flashing lights. <CIT> discloses a system for displaying machine surroundings to an operator in a cab of the machine that may include at least one outward-facing camera mounted on the machine.

The expedients adopted so far while reducing to some extent the risk of collisions or accidents in general, however, do not guarantee a satisfactory level of safety.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a collision avoidance safety system for a vehicle for transporting and/or lifting loads, which is capable of further reducing the risk of accidents or collisions and thus increasing safety performance.

This and other objects are achieved by a collision avoidance safety system for a vehicle for transporting and/or lifting loads as defined in claim <NUM> in its most general form, and some particular embodiments of it in the dependent claims.

A load lifting and/or transport vehicle equipped with the aforesaid collision avoidance safety system is also the subject of this description.

The invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Equal or similar elements will be indicated by the same reference numbers in the accompanying drawings.

With reference to the accompanying <FIG> globally indicates a vehicle for lifting and/or transporting loads. The teachings of the present description apply in particular to self-propelled vehicles which include a driver's station or cab intended to accommodate a driver of the vehicle, particularly wheeled vehicles or tracked vehicles.

In the particular example shown, without because of this introducing any limitation, the vehicle <NUM> is a vehicle for lifting and transporting loads, in short "the vehicle <NUM>", is a self-propelled vehicle with wheels and namely a forklift truck. As explained above, the invention relates in general to a collision avoidance safety system applicable to logistics and/or industrial vehicles which due to their structure (e.g., vehicles comprising a fork lift mast) have blind spots and prevent the driver from having an open view. Therefore, vehicles such as trucks, vans, trailers, and trucks are also included.

The vehicle <NUM> comprises a chassis <NUM>, a pair of front wheels <NUM>, and a pair of rear wheels <NUM>. At least one of the two pairs of wheels <NUM>,<NUM> is operatively coupled to a traction motor e.g. electric, hybrid, or heat, not shown in the figures.

A driver's station <NUM> is defined either in the chassis <NUM> or on the chassis <NUM>, e.g., such as a driver's cab, which comprises, for example, a driver's seat <NUM>, a steering handle <NUM>, one or more control devices <NUM>, such as hand levers or pedals.

The vehicle <NUM> comprises a load lifting and transporting member, which in the non-limiting example of <FIG> comprises a fork <NUM>. In a possible embodiment variant, the load lifting and transporting member could comprise a movable lifting arm, e.g. either rigid or articulated.

The vehicle <NUM> comprises a collision avoidance safety system <NUM> comprising a central control unit <NUM> and an at least one peripheral image acquisition and processing unit <NUM> operatively connected to the central control unit <NUM>.

The collision avoidance safety system <NUM> is installed/installable on board the vehicle <NUM>. In particular, the central control unit <NUM> and the at least one image acquisition and processing peripheral unit <NUM> are installed/installable on board the vehicle <NUM>. In particular, they are either integrated into the vehicle or installed or installable by mechanical coupling means, such as magnets, belts, adhesive means, reversible or irreversible screw or bolt systems. In the particular example shown, the central control unit <NUM> is installed in the driver's station <NUM>, in particular in the driver's cab. The at least one imaging peripheral unit <NUM> is installed on the chassis <NUM>, in particular on a rear portion of the chassis <NUM>.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the central control unit <NUM> and the peripheral image acquisition and processing unit <NUM> are powered independently of each other. For example, each has an internal battery and/or each has a dedicated connection to a battery provided in the vehicle <NUM>.

In the non-limiting example shown in the figures, the collision avoidance safety system <NUM> comprises, without because of this introducing any limitation, two peripheral image acquisition and processing units <NUM>, one of which is facing in the opposite direction with respect to the location <NUM> to monitor a first area arranged behind the vehicle <NUM> and the other is facing sideways to monitor a second area arranged laterally relative to the vehicle <NUM>. For example, a third peripheral image acquisition and processing unit not shown in the figures may be arranged to monitor a third area arranged opposite to the second area.

The image acquisition and processing peripheral unit <NUM> comprises:.

The image sensor <NUM> is, for example, a camera or video camera adapted to acquire images in the visible spectrum and/or the infrared spectrum.

The image acquisition and processing peripheral unit <NUM> further comprises a communication interface <NUM> operatively connected to the image acquisition device processing unit <NUM>. According to an advantageous embodiment, the communication interface <NUM> is a radio communication interface. Preferably, the communication interface <NUM> is a short-range communication interface, e.g. such as a WiFi or Bluetooth communication interface.

The image acquisition and processing peripheral unit <NUM> is adapted and configured and in particular is programmed to:.

Preferably, the processed image stream comprises a video sequence having ten or about ten images per second or having at least ten images per second.

The image acquisition and processing peripheral unit <NUM> is further adapted and configured to:.

The central control unit <NUM> comprises at least a screen <NUM> to display the processed image stream. Preferably, the screen <NUM> is a touchscreen.

The central control unit <NUM> preferably comprises a communication interface <NUM>, which allows the central control unit <NUM> to be connected to one or more peripheral image acquisition and processing units <NUM>. According to an advantageous embodiment, the communication interface <NUM> is also a radio communication interface. Preferably, also the communication interface <NUM> is a short-range communication interface, e.g. such as a WiFi or Bluetooth communication interface.

The central control unit <NUM> comprises a processing unit <NUM>, e.g. such as an FPGA or a single board computer (such as a Raspberry), which in the example is operatively connected to the communication interface <NUM> and to the screen <NUM>.

According to an advantageous embodiment, to carry out the aforesaid step of identification the peripheral image acquisition and processing unit <NUM>, in particular, the image processing unit <NUM>, runs an object and/or person classification algorithm, e.g. to identify whether the person and/or an object is: a person, a bicycle, an animal, a further identical or similar vehicle <NUM>, etc. Said object and/or person classification algorithm is preferably an artificial intelligence algorithm, e.g. based on a neural network, preferably a deep neural network or DNN.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the image processing unit <NUM> comprises a single board computer (e.g. such as a Raspberry) and a VPU - Visual Processing Unit - board operatively connected to each other.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the image acquisition and processing peripheral unit <NUM>, and in particular the image processing unit <NUM>, is such that it compresses the processed stream of images before transmitting it through the communication interface <NUM> to the central control unit <NUM>.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the collision avoidance safety system <NUM> comprises a first housing <NUM> of the central control unit <NUM> and a second housing <NUM> of said at least one peripheral image acquisition and processing unit <NUM>. The first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> are adapted and configured to be installed spaced apart from each other aboard the vehicle <NUM>, preferably independently of each other. For example, the first housing <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> each comprise a dedicated box or case. For example, the first housing <NUM> is adapted and configured to be installed inside the driving position <NUM> and the second housing <NUM> is adapted and configured to be installed on the chassis <NUM> of the vehicle <NUM> outside the driving position <NUM>.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the peripheral image acquisition and processing unit <NUM> is adapted and configured, in particular programmed, to estimate a confidence index associated with the step of identifying. The processed stream of images comprises a first datum <NUM> related to said displayed index superimposed on the processed stream of digital images. Such a confidence index is preferably a confidence percentage.

Advantageously, the image acquisition and processing peripheral unit <NUM> is adapted and configured to associate an object and/or person identifier in the step of identifying. The processed image stream comprises a second datum <NUM> correlated to said object and/or person identifier displayed superimposed on the processed digital image stream, preferably a datum identifying a type or class of person and/or object.

Preferably, the aforementioned first datum <NUM> and/or the aforementioned second datum <NUM> in the processed stream of images are displayed near and/or adjacent and/or superimposed on said morphological or geometric box or outline.

Said at least one detection area comprises a first detection area and a second detection area. The image acquisition and processing peripheral unit <NUM> is adapted and configured to distinguish whether said person or object is located within either the first detection area or the second detection area and associate a corresponding area identification datum with the processed image stream. Conveniently, said area identification datum is displayed in the processed stream images. For example, the datum is displayed by changing a display parameter of said morphological box or outline, e.g. such as a color. In this manner, it will be possible to advantageously associate to the first detection area a first collision risk index and the second detection area a second collision risk index different from the first one. For example, the first detection area is an area, which is relatively farther away from the peripheral image acquisition and processing unit <NUM>, and the second detection area is relatively closer. The second detection area is thus associated with a higher risk index. For example, if an object and/or a person is identified in the first detection area, the box or the silhouette <NUM> may be displayed in yellow, while if an object and/or a person is identified in the second area, the box or the silhouette <NUM> may be displayed in red. Note that in possible implementation variants, it is possible to distinguish between more than two detection areas.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the central control unit <NUM> either comprises or is operatively connected to at least one actuator device <NUM>,<NUM>. The central control unit <NUM> is attached to and configured, i.e., programmed, to automatically drive the actuator device <NUM>,<NUM> based on information contained in or associated with said processed stream of images or conveniently transmitted by the peripheral unit <NUM> in parallel with the processed stream of images. For example, said actuator device <NUM>,<NUM> may be connected to a vehicle safety device, such as an audible or optical warning device or a stop or shutdown device of the vehicle <NUM>.

Preferably, the aforesaid actuator device <NUM>, <NUM> comprises at least one relay operatively either connected or adapted to be operatively connected to a safety device of the vehicle <NUM>.

In the particular example shown in <FIG>, the central control unit <NUM> comprises two actuators <NUM>, <NUM>. For example, one is operatively connected to an acoustic and/or optical signaling device, the other is, for example, operatively connected to the ECU - Engine Control Unit - of the vehicle <NUM>, to shut down or stop the vehicle <NUM>. According to the collision risk index associated with the detection area, the two actuators can be selectively controlled by the central control unit <NUM>. For example, if a relatively lower risk is associated with a detection area, the central control unit by means of one of the two actuators <NUM>,<NUM> will activate an acoustic and/or optical signaling device. If, on the other hand, a relatively higher risk of collision is associated with a detection area, the central control unit through one of the two actuators <NUM>,<NUM> will activate an acoustic and/or optical signaling device and through the other of the two actuators will impose a stop or shutdown of the vehicle <NUM>.

Based on the above, it is thus possible to understand how a collision avoidance safety system of the type described above allows fully achieving the purposes indicated above with reference to the prior art.

Indeed, the collision avoidance safety system <NUM> described above allows for a significant elevation in safety performance. Furthermore, the aforesaid collision avoidance safety system <NUM> is easily installed also aboard vehicles <NUM> which are initially lacking it and is scalable in order to be able to increase as needed the number of image acquisition and processing peripheral units <NUM> connected to the same central control unit <NUM>, without requiring the replacement or expensive upgrades thereof, since the computationally onerous part of the processing operations performed on the acquired images are performed by the peripheral units <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A collision avoidance safety system (<NUM>) for a vehicle (<NUM>) for transporting and/or lifting loads, comprising a central control unit (<NUM>) and at least one image acquisition and processing peripheral unit (<NUM>) operatively connected to the central control unit (<NUM>), wherein the central control unit (<NUM>) and the at least one image acquisition and processing peripheral unit (<NUM>) can be installed aboard said vehicle (<NUM>) and wherein the image acquisition and processing peripheral unit (<NUM>) comprises:
- an image sensor (<NUM>);
- an image processing unit (<NUM>) operatively connected to the image sensor (<NUM>);
- a communication interface (<NUM>) operatively connected to the image processing unit (<NUM>);
wherein the image acquisition and processing peripheral unit (<NUM>) is adapted and configured to:
- acquire an image stream through the image sensor (<NUM>) and process said acquired image stream through the image processing unit (<NUM>) to produce a processed image stream;
- transmit the processed image stream to the central control unit (<NUM>) through the communication interface (<NUM>);
wherein the image acquisition and processing peripheral unit (<NUM>) is further adapted and configured to:
- identify at least one visible person or object (<NUM>) in the acquired image stream either transiting or arranged within at least one detection area;
- produce the processed image stream, wherein each image of the processed image stream is obtained by superimposing on a respective image of the acquired image stream a morphological or geometric box or outline (<NUM>) which identifies said person or said object (<NUM>) within said image;
wherein the central control unit (<NUM>) comprises a screen (<NUM>) to display the processed image stream;
characterized in that said at least one detection area comprises a first detection area and a second detection area and wherein the peripheral image acquisition and processing unit (<NUM>) is adapted and configured to distinguish whether said person or object is located within the first detection area or within the second detection area and associate a corresponding area identification datum with the processed image stream.