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Method and apparatus for using unique landmarks to locate industrial vehicles at start-up

  • US 9,206,023 B2
  • Filed: 11/14/2013
  • Issued: 12/08/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of operating an industrial vehicle in a navigation system, wherein the method comprises:

  • providing the industrial vehicle, one or more sensors coupled to the industrial vehicle, a mobile computer operably coupled to the industrial vehicle, and an environment based navigation module comprised in the mobile computer;

    utilizing the mobile computer coupled to the industrial vehicle to process measurement data from the sensors, wherein the measurement data is indicative of the presence of pre-positioned objects or landmarks within a range of the sensors;

    utilizing the mobile computer coupled to the industrial vehicle to determine initial pose prediction data for the industrial vehicle from the measurement data, whereinthe initial pose prediction data is sufficient to determine a sub-area of a physical environment in which the industrial vehicle is positioned, butthe initial pose prediction data is insufficient to determine a location of the industrial vehicle within the determined sub-area;

    utilizing the mobile computer coupled to the industrial vehicle to select a sub-area of the physical environment based on the initial pose prediction data and obtain a sub-area map from an overview map of the physical environment based on the initial pose prediction data;

    utilizing the mobile computer coupled to the industrial vehicle to refine the initial pose prediction data for the industrial vehicle using the sub-area map and features observable by the sensors from the selected sub-area to generate a new pose; and

    utilizing the new pose, the sensors, and the environment based navigation module of the mobile computer to navigate the industrial vehicle through the physical environment.

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