Self-contained mapping and positioning system utilizing point cloud data

• US 6,608,913 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2000
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inco Limited (Caixa de Previdência Dos Funcionários Do Banco Do Brasil)
• Original Assignee: Inco Limited (Caixa de Previdência Dos Funcionários Do Banco Do Brasil)
• Inventors: Murray, Donald Ray, Hinton, Eric Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns, Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAKHJAVAN, SHERVIN K
• Application Number:
  US09/619,076
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/104, 382/291, 356/237.3, 356/237.4, 702/5, 348/94, 250/442.11, 250/206.1, 340/988, 340/992, 700/66, 700/135, 701/208
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/188 for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 7/06 of cavities, e.g. tunnels

Abstract

A self-contained mapping and positioning system for underground mining is provided that is capable of mapping the topography of a region, such as a mine tunnel, and further being able to use the mapped data to determine the position of an object, such as a mining vehicle, within the mine tunnel. The system includes an inertial navigation system, a central processing unit, a three-dimensional database, a three-dimensional camera system, an operator console and a survey system having a three-dimensional laser scanner. The survey system using the three-dimensional laser scanner produces point cloud data, i.e., a set of data points representing the topography of the region. The point cloud data is stored within a storage device until the entire region is mapped and then transmitted to the operator console to be post processed. After post processing, the data is exported to the three-dimensional database and the indexed for ease of use by the central processing unit. To determine the position of the object within the region, the system of the instant invention initializes the object in its current position. The object is then either remotely or directly guided to another position from the current position where it is brought to an estimated position by the inertial navigation system or is remotely controlled for performing work, e.g., drilling a mine heading. After a predetermined time of moving the object, there is an error in the position of the object and the operator console makes a call to the central processing unit on board the object to automatically calculate the true position based on the point cloud data stored within the database to update the position of the object. This is done by approximating a search range for the database according to the estimated position. A subset of data corresponding to the search range is removed from the database. The three-dimensional camera system then scans images of the surface in proximity to the object and converts the images to a patch of point cloud data. The patch of point cloud data is then matched against the subset of data corresponding to the search range of point cloud data removed from the three-dimensional database until there is less than a predetermined minimum error distance. At that point, the true position of the object is known. This new position is then put back into the inertial navigation system and the positional data of the object is updated with the correct positional data.

Claims

1. A system for determining a position of an object, said system comprising:

means for determining an initial reference point of said object;

means for estimating a position of said object after said object has moved from said initial reference point;

means for scanning at least one image of a surface in proximity to said object and converting said at least one image into a patch of point cloud data;

means for approximately matching said patch of point cloud data with a portion of point cloud data stored within at least one database, wherein said point cloud data stored within said at least one database represents the topography of a region which includes said surface in proximity to said object; and

at least one processor for executing programmable instructions for determining a particular location of said region represented by said portion of point cloud data, wherein said object is determined to be positioned in proximity to said particular location.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for updating at least one processor associated with said object with the determined position of said object.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying at least the determined position of said object.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a survey system having means for obtaining mapping data representing the topography of said region and means for outputting said mapping data;

converting means for receiving said mapping data and converting said mapping data into said point cloud data; and

at least one network device for receiving said point cloud data from said converting means and routing said point cloud data to said at least one database.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said means for obtaining mapping data includes a three-dimensional sensor for mapping the topography of said region along the X, Y and Z axes.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one processor further executes programmable instructions for removing a subset of point cloud data from said at least one database, wherein said removed subset of point cloud data includes said portion of point cloud data representing said particular location.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said portion of point cloud data is a subset of said removed subset of point cloud data.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an operator console in communication with said means for determining said initial reference point of said object and said means for scanning said at least one image of said surface in proximity to said object for transmitting at least one signal to said means for determining and said means for scanning.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said operator console is connected to said at least one database and at least one network device via a data bus.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a laser system coupled to said object for determining the distance of said object from an obstacle located in proximity to said object.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for scanning includes a camera system having three lenses, with one lens being oriented in the X-axis, one lens being oriented in the Y-axis, and one lens being oriented in the Z-axis, wherein said camera system scans said surface in three dimensions.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said point cloud data stored within said at least one database represents the topography of said region in three dimensions.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a diagnostic terminal system for executing diagnostic procedures for checking the integrity of said system.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said region is selected from the group consisting of a mine, a tunnel, a cave, a building, and an overhead surface.

15. A method for determining a position of an object, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an initial reference point of said object;

estimating a position of said object after said object has moved from said initial reference point;

scanning at least one image of a surface in proximity to said object;

converting said at least one image into a patch of point cloud data;

approximately matching said patch of point cloud data with a portion of point cloud data stored within at least one database, wherein said point cloud data stored within said at least one database represents the topography of a region; and

determining a particular location of said region represented by said portion of point cloud data, wherein said object is determined to be positioned in proximity to said particular location.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of updating at least one processor associated with said object with the determined position of said object.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of displaying at least the determined position of said object.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining mapping data representing the topography of said region;

converting said mapping data into said point cloud data; and

routing said point cloud data to said at least one database.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said step of obtaining mapping data includes the step of mapping the topography of said region along the X, Y and Z axes.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of removing a subset of point cloud data from said at least one database prior to said step of approximately matching, wherein said removed subset of point cloud data includes said portion of point cloud data representing said particular location.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of scanning includes the step of scanning said surface in three dimensions.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein said region is selected from the group consisting of a mine, a tunnel, a cave, a building, and an overhead surface.

23. An algorithm for determining a position of an object within an underground mine, said algorithm comprising the steps of:

determining an initial reference point of said object within said underground mine;

estimating a position of said object after said object has moved from said initial reference point;

converting at least one scanned image of a surface of said underground mine in proximity to said object into a patch of point cloud data;

approximately matching said patch of point cloud data with a portion of point cloud data stored within at least one database, wherein said point cloud data stored within said at least one database represents the topography of said underground mine; and

determining a particular location within said underground mine represented by said portion of point cloud data, wherein said object is determined to be positioned in proximity to said particular location.

24. The algorithm according to claim 23, further comprising the step of updating at least one processor associated with said object with the determined position of said object.

25. The algorithm according to claim 23, further comprising the step of instructing at least one display to display at least the determined position of said object.

26. The algorithm according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining mapping data representing the topography of said underground mine;

converting said mapping data into said point cloud data; and

routing said point cloud data to said at least one database.

27. The algorithm according to claim 26, wherein said step of obtaining mapping data includes the step of instructing at least one scanning device to scan the topography of said underground mine along the X, Y and Z axes.

28. The algorithm according to claim 23, further comprising the step of removing a subset of point cloud data from said at least one database prior to said step of approximately matching, wherein said removed subset of point cloud data includes said portion of point cloud data representing said particular location.