Methods and apparatus for orienteering

• US 10,433,112 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Middle Chart, LLC
• Original Assignee: Middle Chart, LLC
• Inventors: Santarone, Michael S., Duff, Jason E., Wodrich, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US16/142,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20190028843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/36 with north-seeking action by magnetic means, e.g. gyromagnetic compasses
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass

Abstract

Orienteering using a smart device. The smart device is operative to identify a position within a building and use fine-grain location monitoring to guide a user to a desired location. Upon reaching the desired location, the user can point the smart device at a wall or component and learn, query, or supplement technical details and other information about the wall or component. Technical details and other information are stored in an augmented virtual model of the building. Movement of the smart device, combined with fine-grain location monitoring, establishes a vector that is used as a directional query of the augmented virtual model. This allows easy contextual data entry into complex data structures with minimal user training. Additionally, an agent external to a building may receive information related to the building based upon a position and indicated direction of interest.

Claims

1. A method of orienteering with a smart device, the method comprising the steps of:

a) placing the smart device in logical communication with a first wireless position device and a second wireless position device, each of the first wireless position device and the second wireless communication device capable of receiving wireless transmissions;

b) supporting the first wireless position device and the second wireless position device via an agent at a first geospatial position;

c) wirelessly receiving a first data set from, a first positional reference transmitter, a second positional reference transmitter and a third positional reference transmitter, into the first wireless position device with the agent maintained at the first geospatial position;

d) wirelessly receiving a second data set from, the first positional reference transmitter, the second positional reference transmitter and the third positional reference transmitter, into the second wireless position device with the agent maintained at the first geospatial position;

e) with the smart device, determining X, Y and Z coordinates of the first wireless position device, and X, Y and Z coordinates of the second wireless position device based upon the first data set and the second data set respectively; and

f) generating a direction of interest relative to the X, Y and Z coordinates of the first wireless position device, and X, Y and Z coordinates of the second wireless position device, while maintaining the agent at the first geospatial position.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating a direction of interest based upon the data received wirelessly from the a first positional reference transmitter, a second reference transmitter and a third reference transmitter comprises the step of:

g) generating a vector based upon the X, Y and Z coordinates of the first wireless position device, and the X, Y and Z coordinates of the second wireless position device;

h) basing the direction of interest upon the vector.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the direction of interest is the same as an orientation in space of the vector.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the direction of interest is at an angle to an orientation in space of the vector.

5. The method of claim 2 additionally comprising the step of calculating a distance from one of:

the X, Y and Z coordinates of the first wireless position device, and the X, Y and Z coordinates of the second wireless position device, and along a linear path based upon the direction of interest.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the distance comprises the length of the vector.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

i) selecting a virtual model of a structure based upon the first geospatial position;

j) accessing a first virtual position within the virtual model based upon the first geospatial position; and

k) providing data from the virtual model to a user interface on the smart device, the data from the virtual model based upon the first geospatial position and the direction of interest based upon the X, Y and Z coordinates of the first wireless position device, and X, Y and Z coordinates of the second wireless position device.

8. A method of orienteering with a smart device, the method comprising the steps of:

l) supporting a first receiver and a second receiver with an agent, the first receiver and the second receiver each capable of receiving logical communications;

m) maintaining the agent at a set position relative to a ground plane, wirelessly receiving a first data set from a first set of multiple reference transmitters into the first receiver with the first receiver located at a first physical position;

n) maintaining the agent at the set position relative to the ground plane, wirelessly receiving a second data set from a second set of multiple reference transmitters into the second receiver with the second receiver located at a second physical position;

o) with the smart device, determining first X, Y and Z coordinates of the first physical position based upon the first data set;

p) with the smart device, determining second X, Y and Z coordinates of the second physical position based upon the second data set; and

q) generating a direction of interest relative to one of the first physical position and the second physical position based upon the first X, Y and Z coordinates and further based upon the second X, Y and Z coordinates.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising fixedly attaching the first receiver and the second receiver to the smart device.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising removably attaching the first receiver and the second receiver to the smart device.

11. A method of determining a geospatial point and direction of interest, the method comprising the steps of:

r) supporting a smart device with an agent, the smart device comprising a wireless transceiver capable of receiving logical communications;

s) establishing a ground plane position for the agent;

t) generating a first set of X, Y and Z coordinates via wireless communication with multiple reference position transceivers, the first set of X, Y and Z coordinates descriptive of a first geospatial position of the smart device while the smart device is supported by the agent and the agent is maintained at the ground plane position;

u) transitioning the smart device to a second geospatial position while the smart device is supported by the agent at the ground plane position;

v) generating a second set of X, Y and Z coordinates via wireless communication with multiple reference position transceivers, the second set of X, Y and Z coordinates descriptive of the second geospatial position while the smart device remains supported by the agent and the agent continues to be maintained at the ground plane position; and

w) generating a ray comprising a direction based upon the first set of X, Y and Z coordinates and the second set of X, Y and Z coordinates.

12. The method of claim 11

further comprising the step of:

x) generating a vector originating at the first set X, Y and Z coordinates and intersecting the second set of coordinates.

13. The method of claim 12 additionally comprising the step of:

y) generating a direction of interest based upon a direction of the vector.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of:

z) generating a length of the vector to a termination point.

15. The method claim 14 further comprising the steps of transitioning the agent to a second ground plane position and determining a direction of travel of the agent based upon a first ground plane position and the second ground plane position.

16. The method claim 14 further comprising the steps of transitioning the agent to a second ground plane position for the agent and repeating steps r) through z).

17. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the step of generating the first set of coordinates and generating the second set of coordinates comprises a triangulation routine.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the step of generating the first set of coordinates and generating the second set of coordinates comprises a trilateration routine.

19. A method of orienteering with a smart device, the method comprising the steps of

aa) placing a smart device in logical communication with a first wireless position device and a second wireless position device, each of the first wireless position device and the second wireless communication device capable of receiving wireless transmissions;

bb) supporting the first wireless position device and the second wireless position via an agent at a first geospatial position;

cc) wirelessly communicating a first data set between, a first positional reference transceiver, a second positional reference transceiver and a third positional reference transceiver, and the first wireless position device with the agent maintained at the first geospatial position;

dd) wirelessly communicating a second data set between, the first positional reference transceiver, the second positional reference transceiver and the third positional reference transceiver, and the second wireless position device with the agent maintained at the first geospatial position;

ee) determining X, Y and Z coordinates of the first wireless position device, and X, Y and Z coordinates of the second wireless position device based upon the first data set; and

ff) generating a direction of interest relative to the X, Y and Z coordinates of the first wireless position device, and X, Y and Z coordinates of the second wireless position device, while maintaining the agent at the first geospatial position.