METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING MAP DATA PROCESSING FOR INDUSTRIAL VEHICLE NAVIGATION

• US 20120323432A1
• Filed: 06/14/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inro Technologies Limited
• Inventors: WONG, LISA, GRAHAM, ANDREW EVAN, GOODE, CHRISTOPHER W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3841 Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3889 Transmission of selected map data, e.g. depending on route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0297 by controlling means in a control room
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/006 Representation of non-cartographic information on maps, e.g. population distribution, wind direction, radiation levels, air and sea routes

Abstract

A method and apparatus for facilitating map data processing for industrial vehicle navigation is described. In one embodiment, the method of partitioning map data for industrial vehicle navigation includes segmenting map data associated with a physical environment into a plurality of sub area maps, identifying a sub-area map that corresponds with a current vehicle location and navigating an industrial vehicle using the identified sub area map.

Claims

1. A method of partitioning map data for industrial vehicle navigation, comprising:

segmenting map data associated with a physical environment into a plurality of sub-area maps;

identifying a sub-area map that corresponds with a current vehicle location; and

navigating an industrial vehicle using the identified sub area map.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying features within the physical environment forming a common landmark; and

combining the identified features into a virtual feature to be used as a physical landmark in the physical environment to navigate the industrial vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein segmenting the map data further comprises defining each sub-area map of the plurality of sub-area maps based vehicle pose and planned path.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the each sub-area map comprises at least two landmarks

5. The method of claim 1, wherein navigating the industrial vehicle further comprises updating a path for the vehicle using the sub-area map.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a sequence of overlapping sub-area maps, where each sub-area map in the sequence is supplied prior to the vehicle reaching an edge of a current sub-area map.

7. An apparatus for partitioning map data for industrial vehicle navigation, comprising:

a map module for segmenting map data associated with a physical environment into a plurality of sub-area maps and identifying a sub-area map that corresponds with a current vehicle location, wherein a computer navigates the industrial vehicle using the identified sub-area map.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a localization module for identifying features within the physical environment forming a common landmark and

combining the identified features into a virtual feature to be used as a physical landmark in the physical environment to navigate the industrial vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the map module comprises defining each sub-area map of the plurality of sub-area maps based vehicle pose and planned path.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer updates a path for the vehicle using the sub-area map.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising providing a sequence of overlapping sub-area maps, where each sub-area map in the sequence is supplied prior to the vehicle reaching an edge of a current sub-area map.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the map module is located in at least one of a central computer or a mobile computer, where the mobile computer is located on the vehicle and the central computer is remotely located from the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the map module of a central computer selects a sub-area map from a global map of the physical environment and transmits the sub-area map to the mobile computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the each sub-area map comprises at least two landmarks.

15. A computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

segmenting map data associated with a physical environment into a plurality of sub-area maps;

identifying a sub-area map that corresponds with a current vehicle location; and

navigating an industrial vehicle using the identified sub area map.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein segmenting the map data further comprises defining each sub-area map of the plurality of sub-area maps based vehicle pose and planned path.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the each sub-area map comprises at least two landmarks

18. The method of claim 15, wherein navigating the industrial vehicle further comprises updating a path for the vehicle using the sub-area map.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a sequence of overlapping sub-area maps, where each sub-area map in the sequence is supplied prior to the vehicle reaching an edge of a current sub-area map.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

identifying features within the physical environment forming a common landmark; and

combining the identified features into a virtual feature to be used as a physical landmark in the physical environment to navigate the industrial vehicle.