CROWD-SOURCED VISION AND SENSOR-SURVEYED MAPPING

• US 20130201365A1
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wirola, Lauri, Syrjarinne, Jari
• Granted Patent: US 9,641,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0264 at least one of the systems being a non-radio wave positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/10 for generating image signals from different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system for enhancing the provision of location information based on previously stored visual data. Apparatuses may utilize sensors to sense at least visual information at a location. The sensed visual information may include attributes that may be defined as one or more visual elements in the recorded visual information. The one or more visual elements may then be stored in a mapping database in association with the location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

utilizing sensing resources in an apparatus to sense at least visual information corresponding to the location of the apparatus;

identifying attributes of the location by defining one or more visual elements within the visual information corresponding to the attributes; and

creating a representation of the location in a mapping database by recording the one or more visual elements in association with the location in the mapping database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing resources comprise at least a camera and the visual information is an electronic image captured at the location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes of the location may comprise physical objects, hallways, doorways, shapes or colors in the location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the one or more visual elements in association with the location in the mapping database comprises determining if any of the one or more visual elements already exist in the mapping database.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising utilizing the sensing resources in the apparatus to sense electronic signals and/or fields at the location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining if any of the one or more visual elements already exist in the mapping database comprises using the electronic signals and/or fields sensed at the location to find the one or more visual elements in the mapping database.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein recording the one or more visual elements in association with the location in the mapping database comprises identifying the location as a new location when the one or more visual elements do not already exist in the mapping database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping database comprises representations for one or more locations that are combined together in the mapping database to form a map, the one or more locations being combined together based at least on common visual elements in the one or more visual elements corresponding to each representation of a location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the map corresponds to a structure interior, the representations of locations corresponding to areas within the structure interior.

10. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code configured to cause an apparatus perform the method of claim 1.

11. (canceled)

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18. (canceled)

19. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including executable instructions, the at least one memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

utilize sensing resources in an apparatus to sense at least visual information corresponding to the location of the apparatus;

identify attributes of the location by defining one or more visual elements within the visual information corresponding to the attributes; and

create a representation of the location in a mapping database by recording the one or more visual elements in association with the location in the mapping database.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the sensing resources comprise at least a camera and the visual information is an electronic image captured at the location.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the attributes of the location may comprise physical objects, hallways, doorways, shapes or colors in the location.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein recording the one or more visual elements in association with the location in the mapping database further comprises the at least one memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine if any of the one or more visual elements already exist in the mapping database.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising the at least one memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to utilize the sensing resources in the apparatus to sense electronic signals and/or fields at the location.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein determining if any of the one or more visual elements already exist in the mapping database further comprises the at least one memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to use the electronic signals and/or fields sensed at the location to find the one or more visual elements in the mapping database.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein recording the one or more visual elements in association with the location in the mapping database further comprises the at least one memory and the executable instructions being configured to, in cooperation with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to identify the location as a new location when the one or more elements do not already exist in the mapping database.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the mapping database comprises representations for one or more locations that are combined together in the mapping database to form a map, the one or more locations being combined together based at least on common visual elements in the one or more visual elements corresponding to each representation of a location.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the map corresponds to a structure interior, the representations of locations corresponding to areas within the structure interior.

28. A system, comprising:

an apparatus; and

a mapping database;

the apparatus utilizing sensing resources in an apparatus to sense at least visual information corresponding to the location of the apparatus and identifying attributes of the location by defining one or more visual elements within the visual information corresponding to the attributes; and

the apparatus further creating a representation of the location in the mapping database by recording the one or more visual elements in association with the location in the mapping database.