Moving vehicle in cuboidal panorama

• US 20050049788A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Haider, Sultan
• Granted Patent: US 7,117,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

A method for monitoring movement of a moving object and avoiding a collision with it comprises constructing a panoramic image from images of a rotating camera attached to the moving object, constructing a virtual cuboid around the moving object utilizing data from the panoramic image, calculating a difference between a position of the cuboid and a position of an obstacle, and changing a moving direction of the moving object if the difference between the position of the cuboid and the position of an obstacle is smaller than a threshold value to avoid the obstacle.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring movement of a moving object, comprising:

a) constructing a panoramic image from images of a rotating camera attached to the moving object;

b) constructing a virtual cuboid around the moving object utilizing data from the panoramic image;

c) calculating a difference between a position of the cuboid and a position of an obstacle; and

d) changing a moving direction of the moving object if the difference between the position of the cuboid and the position of an obstacle is smaller than a threshold value to avoid the obstacle.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising repeating the method steps a) to d) after predetermined time intervals.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising repeating the method steps a) to d) after a 360-degree-rotation of the camera.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein changing the moving direction of the moving object comprises changing the moving direction to avoid a collision with the obstacle.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is a vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is a tool for a medical intervention.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is a part of a robot.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is a synthetic object that is inserted into a natural environment.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moving object is an object in a computerized 2-D or 3-D game.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

producing control signals to a control mechanism of the moving object in order to change the moving direction or moving speed of the moving object.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the control mechanism is at least one of a steering mechanism, an acceleration mechanism, and a deceleration mechanism.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a mean position of multiple obstacles, and utilizing the mean position of multiple obstacles for the position calculations.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

manipulating on origin of a reference frame of the moving object at each inflection point in a path of the moving object.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a probability of collision between the moving object and the obstacle; and

providing the probability of collision to a control mechanism of the moving object.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a layer within the cuboid corresponding to a depth from a particular vehicle edge that is utilized to send a warning signal to a control mechanism of the vehicle.