Method and System for Disambiguation of Augmented Reality Tracking Databases

• US 20140267417A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huntington Ingalls, Inc. (Huntington Ingalls Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Huntington Ingalls, Inc. (Huntington Ingalls Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bare, Brian, Martin, Jonathan, Sells, Paul, Ryan, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,865,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/909 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location spatiotemporally dependent retrieval from the web G06F16/9537
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A method and system for reducing the amount of processing that an augmented reality platform needs to perform in order to provide an augmented reality experience to a user. The present invention enhances the efficiency of augmented reality processing by reducing the amount of tracking cues and images that need to be processed to determine the narrow pose of a mobile device that outputs the augmented reality experience.

Claims

1. A method for determining a narrow pose of a mobile device in a sub-space of a large space for providing an augmented reality experience, the method comprising:

receiving information about a unique characteristic of the sub-space of the large space, the information captured by the mobile device;

comparing the captured information to known unique characteristics stored in a tracking cue database;

determining, based on the comparing, a sub-space ID corresponding to the sub-space in which the mobile device is located;

disambiguating tracking cues within the tracking cue database to identify a subset of tracking cues corresponding to tracking cues within the sub-space;

inputting the subset of tracking cues to an augmented reality processor;

receiving images of the sub-space captured by the mobile device;

inputting the images into the augmented reality processor; and

determining, by the augmented reality processor, the narrow pose of the mobile device in the sub-space, using the inputted images and subset of tracking cues.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique characteristic of the sub-space is a unique light pattern in the sub-space.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique characteristic is a QR code, bar code, a map, or a point cloud associated with the sub-space.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the unique characteristic of the sub-space is posted near or on an entry-way of the sub-space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique characteristic is a unique audio signal sounded within the sub-space.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a head-mounted display, a tablet computer, or a smartphone.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the information about the unique characteristic of the sub-space is captured by a camera on the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein all known tracking cues of the large space are stored in the tracking cue database, and wherein the tracking cues are indexed by sub-space ID within the tracking cue database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the large space is a building and the sub-space is a room in the building.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the large space is a ship and the sub-space is a room in the ship.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed cause a processor to perform the actions of:

receiving information about a unique characteristic of the sub-space of the large space, the information captured by the mobile device;

comparing the captured information to known unique characteristics stored in a tracking cue database;

determining, based on the comparing, a sub-space ID corresponding to the sub-space in which the mobile device is located;

disambiguating tracking cues within the tracking cue database to identify a subset of tracking cues corresponding to tracking cues within the sub-space;

inputting the subset of tracking cues to an augmented reality processor;

receiving images of the sub-space captured by the mobile device;

inputting the images into the augmented reality processor; and

determining, by the augmented reality processor, the narrow pose of the mobile device in the sub-space, using the inputted images and subset of tracking cues.