System and method for real-time environment tracking and coordination

• US 8,938,431 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2014
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CAST Group of Companies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CAST Group of Companies, Inc.
• Inventors: Densham, Gilray, Eichel, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M
• Application Number:
  US14/147,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20140119606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 707/687, 707/741, 345/419, 345/653, 345/958, 345/427, 345/474, 345/420, 345/159, 345/619, 715/863, 715/771
• US Class Current: 707/687
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources

Abstract

A configurable real-time environment tracking and command module (RTM) is provided to coordinate one or more than one devices or objects in a physical environment. A virtual environment is created to correlate with various objects and attributes within the physical environment. The RTM is able to receive data about attributes of physical objects and accordingly update the attributes of correlated virtual objects in the virtual environment. The RTM is also able to provide data extracted from the virtual environment to one or more than devices, such as robotic cameras, in real-time. An interface to the RTM allows multiple devices to interact with the RTM, thereby coordinating the devices.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating one or more physical objects in a physical environment comprising:

providing in a computing device a first and a second virtual object respectively corresponding to a first and a second physical object, and respectively mapping one or more attributes about said first and said second physical objects onto said first and said second virtual objects;

receiving, by said computing device, data pertaining to one or more of said attributes about said first physical object from a first client, said computing device in communication with said first client;

updating, by said computing device, said one or more attributes about said first virtual object using said data;

sending, by said computing device, said one or more attributes about said first virtual object to a second client, said computing device in communication with said second client, and said second client configured to change said second physical object based on said one or more attributes about said first physical object;

receiving, by said computing device, other data pertaining to one more of said attributes about said second physical object from said second client, said other data reflecting said change of said second physical object; and

updating, by said computing device, said one or more attributes about said second virtual object using said other data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising said computing device further updating said one or more attributes about said first virtual object using said other data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first physical object is a moving object and said second physical object is a robotic light or a robotic camera.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

said computing device receiving a command to affect at least one of said first and said second physical objects from said second client or a third client;

determining if said command triggers at least one rule;

if so, modifying said command according to said at least one rule;

using said modified command to update said virtual object; and

sending said modified command to at least one of said first, second and third clients to affect said at least one of said first and said second physical objects.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said command includes position and orientation data.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

providing a virtual environment corresponding to said physical environment; and

wherein said at least one rule comprises determining, in said virtual environment, if said command causes at least one of said first and said second virtual objects to collide with an other virtual object, said other virtual object corresponding to an other physical object in said physical environment.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein, if said at least one rule is triggered, said computing device modifying said command to affect said physical object without causing said virtual object to collide with said other virtual object.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if said data pertaining to said one or more attributes about said first physical object comprises at least one of position information and orientation information of said physical object and, if so, processing said data in real-time.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein processing at least one of said data and said other data occurs in real-time and comprises:

storing said data in a first buffer storage;

moving, from said first buffer storage, at least one of said data into a second buffer storage;

clearing the memory from said first buffer storage;

exchanging data with a virtual environment, said virtual environment corresponding to said physical environment, to at least one of update and retrieve information of at least one of said first and second virtual objects according to at least one of said data and said command from said second buffer storage; and

storing at least one of said updated data and said modified command in a broadcasting buffer storage.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising, while data is exchanged with said virtual environment, said first buffer storage simultaneously collects at least one of a new set of data and a new command.

19. The computing system of claim 1 wherein processing at least one of said data and said other data occurs in real-time, and said computing system further comprises a first buffer storage, a second buffer storage and a broadcasting buffer storage, and said processor is further configured to:

store said data in said first buffer storage;

move, from said first buffer storage, at least one of said data into said second buffer storage;

clear the memory from said first buffer storage;

exchange data with a virtual environment, said virtual environment corresponding to said physical environment, to at least one of update and retrieve information of at least one of said first and second virtual objects according to at least one of said data and said command from said second buffer storage; and

store at least one of said updated data and said modified command in said broadcasting buffer storage.

20. The computing system of claim 19 wherein, while data is exchanged with said virtual environment, said first buffer storage simultaneously collects at least one of a new set of data and a new command.

11. A computing system configured for coordinating one or more physical objects in a physical environment, comprising:

a communication device configured to communicate with one or more clients;

a memory for storing one or more attributes about one more virtual objects corresponding to said one or more physical objects; and

a processor configured to perform computer executable instructions at least for;

respectively mapping one or more attributes about a first and a second physical object onto a first and a second virtual object;

receiving data pertaining to one or more of said attributes about said first physical object from a first client;

updating said one or more attributes about said first virtual object using said data;

sending said one more attributes about said first virtual object to a second client, said second client configured to change said second physical object based on said one more attributes about said first physical object;

receiving other data pertaining to one more of said attributes about said second physical object from said second client, said other data reflecting said change of said second physical object; and

updating said one or more attributes about said second virtual object using said other data.

12. The computing system of claim 11 wherein said processor is further configured to update said one or more attributes about said first virtual object using said other data.

13. The computing system of claim 11 wherein said first physical object is a moving object and said second physical object is a robotic light or a robotic camera.

14. The computing system of claim 11 wherein said processor is further configured to:

receive a command to affect at least one of said first and said second physical objects from said second client or a third client;

determine if said command triggers at least one rule;

if so, modify said command according to said at least one rule;

use said modified command to update said virtual object; and

send said modified command to at least one of said first, second and third clients to affect said at least one of said first and said second physical objects.

15. The computing system of claim 14 wherein said command includes position and orientation data.

16. The computing system of claim 14 wherein said processor is further configured to:

provide a virtual environment corresponding to said physical environment; and

wherein said at least one rule comprises determining, in said virtual environment, if said command causes at least one of said first and said second virtual objects to collide with an other virtual object, said other virtual object corresponding to an other physical object in said physical environment.

17. The computing system of claim 16 wherein, if said at least one rule is triggered, said computing device modifying said command to affect said physical object without causing said virtual object to collide with said other virtual object.

18. The computing system of claim 11 wherein said processor is further configured to determine if said data pertaining to said one or more attributes about said first physical object comprises at least one of position information and orientation information and, if so, processing said data in real-time.