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Localising transportable apparatus

  • US 9,170,334 B2
  • Filed: 09/26/2012
  • Issued: 10/27/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method-of localising a transportable apparatus within an environment, the method comprising:

  • receiving data obtained from a ranging sensor device of the transportable apparatus configured to collect information relating to at least a surface over which the transportable apparatus is moving in an environment, the ranging sensor device including a clock configured to provide timing information relating to the information relating to at least the surface;

    reconstructing motion of the transportable apparatus over a period when the ranging sensor device data was created to generate a new 3D point cloud of the environment, wherein reconstructing motion uses information regarding linear and rotational velocities of the transportable apparatus provided during the period,obtaining information regarding rotational velocity from a rotational velocity measuring device, the rotational velocity measuring device including a clock to provide timing information relating to the rotational velocity information;

    obtaining information regarding linear velocity from a linear velocity measuring device configured to provide information relating to linear velocity of the transportable apparatus, the linear velocity measuring device including a clock to provide timing information relating to the linear velocity information;

    calibrating the clock of the ranging sensor device, the clock of the linear velocity measuring device and the clock of the rotational velocity measuring device in order to coordinate information provided by those devices in terms of timing;

    adjusting the velocity information provided by the linear velocity measuring device in view of a bias factor, wherein computing the bias factor includes;

    scaling observed velocity information over a test section of the environment;

    generating a scaled 3D point cloud for the test section;

    attempting to align the scaled 3D point cloud with a part of the existing 3D point cloud corresponding to the test section; and

    using information relating to the attempted alignment to compute the bias factor;

    obtaining data representing an existing 3D point cloud of at least part of the environment; and

    matching the new 3D point cloud with, or within, the existing 3D point cloud in order to localise the transportable apparatus with respect to the existing point cloud.

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