Method and system for locating a mobile device

• US 10,117,057 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2015
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Schuller, Florian, Altinger, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pannell, Mark G
• Application Number:
  US15/101,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20180176735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for locating a mobile device in a surrounding area, wherein the device has multiple sensors for detecting the area surrounding the device using different locating methods, wherein a reference map is provided for the surrounding area, said reference map comprising multiple positions within the surrounding area, wherein at least one locating method which is to be carried out using at least one sensor in order to detect the surrounding area is recommended for at least one position within the surrounding area, wherein the at least one locating method recommended according to the reference map and to be carried out using at least one sensor is used for a current position of the mobile device in order to locate the device.

Claims

1. A method for locating a mobile device in a surrounding area, wherein the mobile device has multiple sensors for detecting the surrounding area using different locating methods, wherein a reference map is provided for the surrounding area, the reference map comprising multiple positions within the surrounding area, the method comprising:

recommending at least one locating method, which is to be carried out using at least one sensor of the multiple sensors in order to detect the surrounding area, for at least one position within the surrounding area according to the reference map;

using the at least one locating method for a current position of the mobile device in order to locate the mobile device,

wherein the at least one locating method is determined taking into consideration a perspective of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors for the current position of the mobile device within the surrounding area; and

determining the perspective of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors as a function of a position of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors and as a function of a detection direction of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors starting from the position of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current position of the mobile device is a position along a planned path of movement of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the surrounding area is subdivided into regions in the reference map, wherein, for positions within at least one of the regions, a same at least one locating method is recommended to be carried out using a same at least one sensor of the multiple sensors according to the reference map.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the current position of the mobile device via a positioning system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein recommending the at least one locating method further comprises:

recommending the at least one locating method for the at least one position based on a distribution of landmarks in the surrounding area.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein recommending the at least one locating method further comprises:

recommending the at least one locating method for the at least one position based on a density of the landmarks in the surrounding area.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein recommending the at least one locating method further comprises:

recommending the at least one locating method for the at least one position based on a distance of the at least one position from the landmarks in the surrounding area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting, via the at least one locating method, a range of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference map is determined using reference measurements.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

performing a plurality of the locating methods with a plurality of the sensors to determine the at least one locating method for the at least one position, which is to be carried out with the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

updating the reference map for the at least one position with the at least one locating method, which is to be carried out with the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a motor vehicle.

13. A system for locating a mobile device in a surrounding area, the system comprising:

multiple sensors for detecting the surrounding area using different locating methods; and

a reference map for the surrounding area, the reference map comprising multiple positions within the surrounding area,

wherein at least one of the different locating methods, which is to be carried out using at least one sensor of the multiple sensors in order to detect the surrounding area, is to be recommended for at least one position within the surrounding area according to the reference map,

wherein the at least one of the different locating methods, which is to be carried out using the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors, is to be used for a position of the mobile device in order to locate the mobile device,

wherein the at least one of the different locating methods is to be determined taking into consideration a perspective of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors for the position of the mobile device within the surrounding area, and

wherein the perspective of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors is determined as a function of a position of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors and as a function of a detection direction of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors starting from the position of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a control apparatus configured to determine the position of the mobile device by exchange of information with a positioning system, and to control the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors for carrying out the at least one of the different locating methods.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the position of the mobile device is a position along a planned path of movement of the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device is a motor vehicle.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein a range of the at least one sensor of the multiple sensors is set via the at least one of the different locating methods.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one of the different locating methods is recommended according to the reference map for the at least one position in the surrounding area based on a distribution of landmarks in the surrounding area.