Indoor Map Data as a Recalibration Source for Low-Cost MEMS Inertial Navigation

• US 20140149069A1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Design Reactor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: mCube, Inc.
• Inventors: Kelly, Joe, Price, Jobe, Bashki, Rahul, Schneider, Mark D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,377,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/188 for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/005 initial alignment, calibration or starting-up of inertial devices

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for determining an estimated user location performed on a computer system programmed to perform the method includes determining in physical sensors, movements in response to movement of the computer system, determining in a processor a physical context, in response to the movements, determining in the processor whether the physical context is substantially similar to a map-based context associated with a location on the map, when a map-based context is substantially similar to the physical context, the method includes determining in the processor the location on the map associated with the map-based context, determining in the processor a graphical user interface in response to the location on the map, and displaying the graphical user interface on a display of the computer system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining an estimated user location performed on a computer system programmed to perform the method, comprising:

determining in a plurality of physical sensors in the computer system, a plurality of physical perturbations in response to a change in physical orientation of the computer system by a user;

determining in a processor in the computer system, a physical context of the computer system, in response to the plurality of physical perturbations;

determining in the processor in the computer system, whether the physical context is substantially similar to one of a plurality of map-based contexts associated with a map, wherein each map-based context is associated with a location on the map; and

when a map-based context is substantially similar to the physical context, the method comprises;

determining in the processor a location on the map associated with the map-based context;

determining in the processor a graphical user interface in response to the location on the map; and

displaying on a display of the computer system, the graphical user interface to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving from a memory in the computer system, the plurality of map-based contexts associated with the map.

3. The method of claim 1

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises an accelerometer;

and

wherein determining in the plurality of physical sensors in the computer system comprises determining in the accelerometer, a plurality of accelerations in more than one axis in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

4. The method of claim 3

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises a magnetometer;

and

wherein determining in the plurality of physical sensors in the computer system comprises determining in the magnetometer, a plurality of magnetic field readings in more than one axis in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

5. The method of claim 1

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises a pressure sensor;

and

wherein determining in the plurality of physical sensors in the computer system comprises determining in the pressure, an atmospheric pressure reading in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

6. The method of claim 1

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises a gyroscope;

and

wherein determining in the plurality of physical sensors in the computer system comprises determining in the gyroscope, a plurality of rotational readings in more than one axis in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

7. The method of claim 1

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises a temperature sensor;

and

wherein determining in the plurality of physical sensors in the computer system comprises determining in the temperature sensor, a temperature reading in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the map-based context is selected from a group consisting of:

moving down a hall, entering a room, turning left, turning right, descending floors, ascending floors.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein when the map-based context is substantially similar to the physical context, the method further comprises providing in the processor the location on the map to a navigation application running in the processor.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining in the processor, a navigation solution in the navigation application running in the processor.

11. A computer system for determining an estimated user location comprising:

a plurality of physical sensors configured to determine a plurality of physical perturbations in response to a change in physical orientation of the computer system by a user;

a memory configured to store a representation of a map, and a plurality of map-based contexts associated with locations on the map;

a display for displaying images to the user;

a processor coupled to the physical sensors, to the memory, and to the display, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a physical context of the computer system, in response to the plurality of physical perturbations, wherein the processor is programmed to determine whether the physical context is substantially similar to a map-based context from the plurality of map-based contexts associated with a map, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a location on the map associated with the map-based context, wherein the processor is programmed to determine a graphical user interface in response to the location on the map, and wherein the processor is programmed to display the graphical user interface on the display.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the processor is programmed to use the location on the map as the user location on the map.

13. The computer system of claim 11

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises an accelerometer;

and

wherein the accelerometer is configured to determine a plurality of accelerations in more than one axis in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

14. The computer system of claim 13

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises a pressure sensor;

and

wherein the pressure sensor is configured to determine, an atmospheric pressure reading in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

15. The computer system of claim 11

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises a magnetometer;

and

wherein the magnetometer is configured to determine a plurality of magnetic field readings in more than one axis in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

16. The computer system of claim 11

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises a gyroscope;

and

wherein the gyroscope is configured to determine a plurality of rotational readings in more than one axis in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

17. The computer system of claim 11

wherein the plurality of physical sensors comprises a temperature sensor;

and

wherein the temperature sensor is configured to determine a temperature reading in response to the change in physical orientation of the computer system by the user.

18. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the map-based context is selected from a group consisting of:

moving down a hall, entering a room, turning left, turning right, descending floors, ascending floors.

19. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the processor is programmed to provide the location on the map to a navigation process running upon the processor.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the processor is programmed to determine a navigation solution in the navigation processor running in the processor.