Method and system for location determination and navigation using structural visual information

• US 9,395,188 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Radioxio, LLC
• Original Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Inventors: Ling, Curtis
• Primary Examiner(s): Senfi, Behrooz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colon, Maria Vazquez
• Application Number:
  US13/309,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1654 with electromagnetic compass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1656 with passive imaging devices, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Methods and systems for location determination using structural visual information may comprise receiving global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals in a wireless device (WD) for determining a first position of the WD. One ore more images of a structure or structures near the WD may be captured and a position may be determined based on a comparison of the structures in the images to structures in a stored database. The database may be pre-stored based on a known future location of a user of the WD. The database may be downloaded and stored when insufficient GNSS signals are present. The database may comprise a plurality of images or may comprise video of structures. A distance from the structures may be determined based on known optical properties of a camera in the WD, and may be used to determine an accurate location based on the images.

Claims

1. A method for wireless device positioning, the method comprising:

in a wireless communication device;

capturing one or more images of one or more structures a vicinity of said wireless communication device;

extracting structural element data from the captured images;

determining best matches between extracted structural element data and structural data stored in memory;

determining estimated positions P_i of the best matches ordered by a quality Q_i of the matches; and

determining a position P_x of said wireless communication device from a location that has a highest number of estimated positions P_i of said wireless communication device clustered about it within a threshold distance, and if no position P_x has estimated positions P_i of said wireless communication device clustered within said threshold distance, capturing one or more additional images at a different orientation.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising sensing an orientation of structures in said captured one or more images relative to said wireless communication device.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising processing images for feature extraction and identification of structural elements for said determined estimated positions P_i.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising utilizing an orientation of said wireless communication device in conjunction with said extraction and identification for said determined estimated positions P_i.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising utilizing said orientation and said extraction and identification in conjunction with determined distances from one or more identified structures for said determined estimated positions P_i.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising storing locations of structures and/or said captured one or more images in said memory.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving an instruction to capture one or more images in a different orientation when said determined position P_x does not meet an accuracy requirement.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising pre-storing said structural data in said memory of said wireless communication device based on a known future location of a user of said wireless communication device.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising downloading and storing said structural data in said memory of said wireless communication device when GNSS signals sufficient for positioning are no longer received by said wireless communication device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said structural data stored in said memory comprises one or more of:

a plurality of images, abstractions of images, and locations.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more images comprises a video of structures in the vicinity of said wireless communication device.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining a distance from one or more of said structures in the vicinity of said wireless communication device based on known optical properties of a camera in said wireless communication device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said optical properties comprises focal length and/or focus setting.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said determined distance is used to determine an accurate location based on said captured one or more images.

15. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining a first location of said wireless communication device utilizing medium Earth orbit satellite signals and/or low Earth orbit satellite signals.

16. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a wireless communication device, said one or more circuits being operable to;

capture one or more images of one or more structures a vicinity of said wireless communication device;

extract structural element data from said one or more images;

determine best matches between extracted structural element data and structural data stored in memory;

determine estimated positions P_i of the best matches ordered by a quality Q_i of the matches; and

determine a position P_x of said wireless communication device from a location that has a highest number of estimated positions P_i of said wireless communication device clustered about it within a threshold distance, and if no position P_x has estimated positions P_i of said wireless communication device clustered within said threshold distance, capturing one or more additional images at a different orientation.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to sense an orientation of structures in said captured one or more images relative to said wireless communication device.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to process images for feature extraction and identification of structural elements for determining said estimated positions P_i.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to utilize an orientation of said wireless communication device in conjunction with said extraction and identification for determining said estimated positions P_i.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to utilize said orientation and said extraction and identification in conjunction with determined distances from one or more identified structures for determining said position.

21. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to store locations of structures and/or said captured one or more images in said memory.

22. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to receive an instruction to capture one or more images in a different orientation when said determined position P_x does not meet an accuracy requirement.

23. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to pre-store said structural data in said memory of said wireless communication device based on a known future location of a user of said wireless communication device.

24. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to download and store said structural data in said memory of said wireless communication device when GNSS signals sufficient for positioning are no longer received by said wireless communication device.

25. The system according to claim 16, wherein said structural data stored in said memory of said wireless communication device comprises a plurality of images.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said one or more images comprises a video of structures in the vicinity of said wireless communication device.

27. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to determine a distance from one or more of said structures in the vicinity of said wireless communication device based on known optical properties of a camera in said wireless communication device.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said optical properties comprises zoom and focal length.

29. The system according to claim 27, wherein said determined distance is used to determine an accurate location based on said captured one or more images.

30. A system for location determination, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a wireless communication device, said one or more circuits being operable to;

receive global positioning satellite (GPS) signals for determining a first position of said wireless communication device;

capture one or more images of one or more structures in the vicinity of said wireless communication device when insufficient GPS signals are present for positioning; and

determine a second position of said wireless communication device by;

extracting structural element data from the one or more captured images;

determining best matches between the extracted data and structural data stored in memory;

determining estimated positions P_i of the best matches ordered by a quality Q_i of the matches; and

determining a position P_x of said wireless communication device from a location that has a highest number of estimated positions P_i of said wireless communication device clustered about it within a threshold distance, and if no position P_x has estimated positions P_i of said wireless communication device clustered within said threshold distance, capturing one or more additional images at a different orientation.