Landmark based positioning

• US 9,483,826 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2016
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Jiajian, Chao, Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US15/054,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20160180538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 249 Days
• Field of Search: 701/454
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/40 Filling a planar surface by adding surface attributes, e.g. colour or texture
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/40 Hidden part removal
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2004 Aligning objects, relative positioning of parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2012 Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/11 Region-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/344 involving models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/75 involving models

Abstract

Disclosed are devices, methods and storage media for use in determining position information for imaging devices or mobile devices. In some implementations, a landmark is identified in an image which is obtained from an imaging device which in turn is positioned at a location and in a pose. A virtual two-dimensional image that would be visible from the landmark is determined based, at least in part, on the pose. The location or position information is based, at least in part, on the virtual two-dimensional image.

Claims

1. A method for position estimation of an imaging device, the method comprising:

identifying a landmark in an image obtained from the imaging device positioned at a device location, wherein the imaging device is in a pose during a time that the image is obtained;

obtaining pose parameters corresponding to the pose of the imaging device;

determining, using a processor, a virtual two-dimensional image of a view from a viewpoint at the landmark based, at least in part, on the pose parameters,

wherein the view from the viewpoint corresponds to an area as viewed from a perspective at a first location of the landmark in a direction toward the imaging device; and

estimating the device location based, at least in part, on the virtual two-dimensional image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating of the device location is based, at least in part, on a selection of portions of the virtual two-dimensional image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the virtual two-dimensional image is based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region having a plurality of graphic primitives, wherein at least one of the plurality of graphic primitives comprises an attribute.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the virtual two-dimensional image is based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region having a plurality of graphic primitives,

wherein at least one of the plurality of graphic primitives comprises an attribute,

wherein at least a portion of the three-dimensional representation of the region is color coded, and

wherein the attribute is based, at least in part, on a value corresponding to the color coding.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least the portion of the three-dimensional representation of the region is color coded according to a RGB color model, and wherein the value of the attribute is based, at least in part, on a RGB triplet value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the virtual two-dimensional image includes rendering the virtual two-dimensional image using a frame buffer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the virtual two-dimensional image comprises rendering the virtual two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region, the method further comprising:

rendering a map to create the three-dimensional representation of the region.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the landmark is disposed in a building having a plurality of floors disposed at a plurality of elevations, wherein the landmark is disposed on a first one of the plurality of floors, and wherein the device location of the imaging device is on a second one of the plurality of floors different from the first one of the plurality of floors.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors in communication with the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

identify a landmark in an image obtained by the apparatus positioned at an apparatus location, wherein the apparatus is in a pose during a time that the image is obtained;

obtain pose parameters corresponding to the pose of the apparatus;

determine a virtual two-dimensional image of a view from a viewpoint at the landmark based, at least in part, on the pose parameters,

wherein the view from the viewpoint corresponds to an area as viewed from a perspective at a first location of the landmark in a direction toward the apparatus; and

estimate the apparatus location based, at least in part, on the virtual two-dimensional image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the virtual two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region having a plurality of graphic primitives, wherein at least one of the plurality of graphic primitives comprises an attribute.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the virtual two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region having a plurality of graphic primitives,

wherein at least one of the plurality of graphic primitives comprises an attribute,

wherein at least a portion of the three-dimensional representation of the region is color coded, and

wherein the attribute is based, at least in part, on a value corresponding to the color coding.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least the portion of the three-dimensional representation of the region is color coded according to a RGB color model, and wherein the value of the attribute is based, at least in part, on a RGB triplet value.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the virtual two-dimensional image by rendering the virtual two-dimensional image using a frame buffer.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

determine the virtual two-dimensional image by rendering the virtual two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region; and

render a map to create the three-dimensional representation of the region.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable, storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus, comprising:

code to identify a landmark in an image obtained by the special purpose computing apparatus positioned at an apparatus location, wherein the special purpose computing apparatus is in a pose during a time that the image is obtained;

code to obtain pose parameters corresponding to the pose of the special purpose computing apparatus;

code to determine a virtual two-dimensional image of a view from a viewpoint at the landmark based, at least in part, on the pose parameters,

wherein the view from the viewpoint corresponds to an area as viewed from a perspective at a first location of the landmark in a direction toward the special purpose computing apparatus; and

code to estimate the apparatus location based, at least in part, on the virtual two-dimensional image.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable, storage medium of claim 15 wherein the code to determine the virtual two-dimensional image includes code to render the virtual two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable, storage medium of claim 15 wherein the code to determine the virtual two-dimensional image includes code to determine the virtual two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region having a plurality of graphic primitives,

wherein at least one of the plurality of graphic primitives comprises an attribute,

wherein at least a portion of the three-dimensional representation of the region is color coded, and

wherein the attribute is based, at least in part, on a value corresponding to the color coding.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable, storage medium of claim 17, wherein the at least the portion of the three-dimensional representation of the region is color coded according to a RGB color model, and wherein the value of the attribute is based, at least in part, on a RGB triplet value.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable, storage medium of claim 15 wherein the code to determine the virtual two-dimensional image includes code to render the virtual two-dimensional image using a frame buffer.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable, storage medium of claim 15 wherein the code to determine the virtual two-dimensional image includes code to render the virtual two-dimensional image based, at least in part, on a three-dimensional representation of a region, and wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable, storage medium further comprises:

code to render a map to create the three-dimensional representation of the region.