VEHICLE LOCALIZATION

• US 20170076455A1
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Oxford University Innovation Limited (University of Oxford)
• Original Assignee: Oxford University Innovation Limited (University of Oxford)
• Inventors: Newman, Paul, Maddern, William, Stewart, Alexander Douglas, Churchill, Winston, McManus, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 10,255,680 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10021 Stereoscopic video; Stereoscopic image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20081 Training; Learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches

Abstract

A method of localising a transportable apparatus (102) within an environment around the apparatus is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a sequence of images (200) of the environment and generating one or more sequences of transformed images (204) from the sequence of images wherein an image from the sequence of images has undergone a transformation to provide a transformed image within the sequence of transformed images. Processing circuitry (112) is then used to compare one or more images from the sequence of transformed images (204) and one or more images from at least one of the sequence of images (200) and a further sequence of transformed images against a representation of the environment. The comparison determines corresponding features within the images (200) and/or transformed images (204) and the representation. The transportable apparatus (102) is then localised according to a position of the one or more corresponding features.

Claims

1. A computerized method of localizing a transportable apparatus within an environment around the apparatus, comprising:

obtaining a sequence of images of the environment;

generating one or more sequences of transformed images from the sequence of images wherein an image from the sequence of images has undergone a transformation to provide a transformed image within the sequence of transformed images;

using processing circuitry to compare one or more images from the sequence of transformed images and one or more images from at least one of;

the sequence of images;

or

further sequences of transformed images against a representation of the environment;

wherein the comparison determines corresponding features within the images and/or transformed images and the representation; and

localizing the transportable apparatus according to a position of the one or more corresponding features.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the sequence of images and a single sequence of transformed images are each compared against the stored representation.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which two sequences of transformed images, in which the images forming the sequence have been generated by a different transformation on the sequence of images, are each compared against the stored representation.

4. A method according to claim 2 comprising selecting one of the two comparisons to use to localize the apparatus.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which the representation of the environment is provided by one or more sequences of stored images.

6. A method according to claim 5 in which the sequence of stored images undergo transformations in order that at least one of the comparisons be performed.

7. A method according to claim 1 in which the representation of the environment is a 3D model of the environment.

8. A method according to claim 1 in which the sequence of images is obtained using any of the following:

an optical camera;

a stereoscopic optical camera; and

a thermal imaging camera.

9. A method according to claim 1 in which the images within the sequence of images are within an RGB color space.

10. A method according to claim 1 in which the transformation performed on an image transforms the image into one of the following:

an illumination invariant color space;

or greyscale.

18. A method according to claim 7 in which the 3D model of the environment comprises a 3D point cloud.

11. An apparatus arranged to perform a localization of itself within an environment, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to generate a sequence of images of an environment around the apparatus;

processing circuitry in communication with the sensor, the processing circuitry configured to;

generate one or more sequences of transformed images from the sequence of images, wherein an image from the sequence of images has undergone a transformation to provide a transformed image within the sequence of transformed images;

compare, against a stored representation of the environment, one or more images from the sequence of transformed images and one or more images from at least one of;

the sequence of images; and

a further sequences of transformed images;

determine, during the comparison, corresponding features within the images and/or the transformed images and the stored representation; and

localize the apparatus according to the position of the one or more corresponding features.

12. A non-transitory machine readable medium containing instructions, which when read by a computer, cause that computer to:

obtain a sequence of images of an environment around the apparatus;

generate one or more sequences of transformed images from the sequence of images wherein an image from the sequence of images has undergone a transformation to provide a transformed image within the sequence of transformed images;

compare one or more images from the sequence of transformed images and one or more images from at least one of;

the sequence of images; and

further sequences of transformed images against a stored representation of the environment;

wherein the comparison is arranged to determine corresponding features within the images and/or transformed images and the stored representation; and

localize the transportable apparatus according to a position of the one or more corresponding features.

13. (canceled)

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16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)