Method and a system for navigating around real site by creating and accessing database of positional reality images of real site

• US 7,266,445 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Janky, James M., Maynard, Kurtis L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc; McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/713,596
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 701/208, 701/207
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8082 Virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00

Abstract

A method and a system for navigating a vehicle around a real site. The method comprises the following steps: (A) creating a database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents the real site, and (B) accessing the database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents the real site in order to navigate a vehicle around said real site. The integrated Positional Reality System (PRS) comprising a positioning system integrated with a plurality of optical systems is used to create the database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents the real site. The PRS utilizes a laser-diode-based optical scanning system if a range between the PRS and a selected real site object comprises a short range distance and a pulse-type-microlaser-based optical system if a range between the PRS and a selected real site object comprises a short-to-medium range distance.

Claims

1. A method for navigating a vehicle around a real site comprising the steps of:

(A) creating a database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site;

said real site comprising at least one three dimensional real geometrical object;

each said Positional Reality Image (PRI) substantially accurately represents at least one three dimensional real geometrical object of said real site;

and

(B) accessing said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site in order to navigate said vehicle around said real site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (A) of creating said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site further includes the step of:

(A1) employing an integrated Positional Reality System (PRS) configured to create said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site;

said integrated Positional Reality System (PRS) comprising a positioning system integrated with a plurality of optical systems.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step (A1) of employing said integrated Positional Reality System (PRS) configured to create said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site further comprises the steps of:

(A1,

     1) selecting a real site object;

(A1,

     2) estimating a range from said PRS to said selected real site object;

(A1,

     3) selecting an optimum optical system;

(A1,

     4) generating a Positional Reality Image (PRI) of said selected real site object;

and

(A1,

     5) repeating said steps ((A1,

     1)-(A1,

     4)) in order to create a database comprising a substantially complete set of Positional Reality Images (PRIs) of said real site.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step (A1, 3) of selecting said optimum optical system further includes the steps of:

selecting a laser-diode-based optical scanning system if a range between said PRS and said real site object comprises a short range distance;

and

selecting a pulse-type-microlaser-based optical system if said range between said PRS and said real site object comprises a short-to-medium range distance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step (B) of accessing said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that accurately represents said real site in order to navigate said vehicle around said real site further comprises the step of:

(B1,1) viewing said database comprising said substantially complete set of Positional Reality Images of said real site.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said vehicle is equipped with said PRS, further including the step of:

(B1,

     2) navigating said vehicle around said real site.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said vehicle is equipped with said PRS, further including the step of:

(B1,

     3) navigating said vehicle around said real site in real time.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said vehicle is equipped with said PRS, further including the step of:

(B1,

     4) navigating said vehicle around said real site in complete darkness.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(C) storing said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(D) transmitting said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site from said PRS system to a base station (BS).

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

(E) transmitting said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site from said base station (BS) into a vehicle;

(F) viewing said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site by an operator of said vehicle;

and

(G) navigating said vehicle around said real site by accessing said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said step (G) of navigating said vehicle around said real site by accessing said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site further comprises the step of:

(G1) navigating said vehicle around said real site in complete darkness.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

(H) posting said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site on an Internet web site.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step of:

(I) web casting said database of Positional Reality Images (PRI) that substantially accurately represents said real site from said Internet web site.

15. An apparatus for navigating a vehicle around a real site, said apparatus comprising:

an integrated Positional Reality System (PRS) mounted on a moving platform;

said integrated Positional Reality System (PRS) further comprising;

a positioning system;

and

a plurality of optical systems integrated with said positioning system;

wherein said Positional Reality System (PRS) is configured to create a plurality of Positional Reality Images (PRIs) of said real site;

wherein each said PRI image represents at least one real object located at said real site.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said plurality of optical systems integrated with said positioning system further comprises:

a laser-diode-based optical scanning system configured to measure a short range distance between said PRS system and a real site object;

and

a pulse-type-microlaser-based optical system configured to measure a short-to-medium range distance between said PRS system and a real site object.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a see-through display.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a telemonitor.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a storage means for storing a database of PRI images of said real site.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit said database of PRI images of said real site to a Base Station (BS).

21. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive said database of PRI images of said real site from said BS.

22. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive said database of PRI images of said real site from a web site.

23. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a virtual controller configured to get access to said database of said set of PRI images of said real site.

24. The apparatus of said claim 15, wherein said positioning system is selected from the group consisting of:

{a Satellite Positioning System (SATPS);

a GALILEO system;

a GPS system;

a differential DGPS system;

a real time kinematic RTK GPS system;

a combined GLONASS/GPS system;

a combined GALILEO/GPS system;

an inertial navigation system (INS); and

a pseudolite navigation system}.