METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN DEVICE AND PEDESTRIAN USING VISION

• US 20160216118A1
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Kazemipur, Bashir, Syed, Zainab, Georgy, Jacques, El-Sheimy, Naser
• Granted Patent: US 10,132,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1656 with passive imaging devices, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/248 involving reference images or patches

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for determining the misalignment between a device and a pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian can carry, hold, or use the device in different orientations in a constrained or unconstrained manner, and wherein the device includes an optical sensor or camera. The optical sensors have a corresponding frame for the optical sensors'"'"' axes. The misalignment between the device and the pedestrian means the misalignment between the frame of the optical sensor assembly or camera in the device and the frame of the pedestrian. The present method and apparatus can work whether in the presence or in the absence of absolute navigational information updates (such as, for example, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or WiFi positioning).

Claims

1. A method for determining misalignment between a device and a pedestrian, wherein the device includes an optical sensor capable of capturing an image, the method comprising the steps of:

a) calculating optical flow components from the image;

b) determining a use case of the device; and

c) calculating a misalignment angle using the optical flow components and the use case.

6. The method of any one of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein the method further comprises enhancing the misalignment angle using information from other images from the optical sensor.

7. The method of any one of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein the device includes self-contained sensors capable of providing sensor readings, and wherein the method further comprises enhancing the misalignment angle using sensor readings.

8. The method of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or, 7, wherein the device includes a receiver to receive absolute navigational information, and wherein the method further comprises enhancing the calculated misalignment angle from absolute navigational information.

9. The method of any one of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, wherein the method further comprises calculating a standard deviation for the calculated misalignment angle.

2. A method for determining misalignment between a device and a pedestrian, wherein the device includes an optical sensor capable of capturing an image, the method comprising the steps of:

a) determining availability of features in the image;

b) performing static detection from the image;

c) calculating optical flow components from the image;

d) determining a use case of the device; and

e) calculating a misalignment angle using the optical flow components and the use case.

3. A method for determining misalignment between a device and a pedestrian, wherein the device includes an optical sensor capable of capturing an image, the method comprising the steps of:

a) performing pre-processing on the image;

b) determining availability of features in the pre-processed image;

c) performing static detection from the pre-processed image;

d) calculating optical flow components from the pre-processed image;

e) determining a use case of the device; and

f) calculating a misalignment angle using the optical flow components and the use case.

4. A method for determining misalignment between a device and a pedestrian, wherein the device includes an optical sensor capable of capturing an image, the method comprising the steps of:

a) performing pre-processing on the image;

b) determining availability of features in the pre-processed image;

c) performing static detection from the pre-processed image;

d) calculating optical flow components from the pre-processed image;

e) determining a use case of the device; and

f) calculating a misalignment angle using the optical flow components and the use case or determining no decision.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the method determines no decision, then using buffered information to calculate the misalignment angle.

10. A device portable by a pedestrian, the device comprising:

a. an optical sensor capable of capturing images; and

b. a processor, coupled to receive images from the optical sensor, and operative to determine the misalignment between the device and the pedestrian, wherein the processor is operative to;

i) perform pre-processing on the image from the optical sensor;

ii) calculate optical flow components from the image;

iii) determine a use case of the device; and

iv) calculate a misalignment angle using the optical flow components.