Canine handler operations positioning system

• US 9,666,038 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robotic Research OPCO LLC
• Original Assignee: Robotic Research LLC
• Inventors: Murphy, Karl Nicholas, Lacaze, Alberto Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, GARRETT F
• Application Number:
  US15/159,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20160371940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/47 the supplementary measurement being an inertial measurement, e.g. tightly coupled inertial
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/08 involving all processing steps from image acquisition to 3D model generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10021 Stereoscopic video; Stereoscopic image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30212 Military
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/285 using a sequence of stereo image pairs
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

The Canine Handler Operations Positioning System (the Inventors) taught by the present invention consists of one or more dog-worn sensor, one or more handler'"'"'s shoe-worn sensor, and algorithms for maintaining localization of units of canines and handlers traveling in GPS and GPS-denied areas. The present invention adapts the localization algorithms from the human-based system to dogs, increase performance, reduce SWAP, and further refine the system based on user feedback. The human worn system is modified for the human handler for maximum operational practicality in regard to batteries, size, and interoperability to a radio. The Canine Handler Operations Positioning System (the Inventors) focuses on developing the dog-worn positioning system, modifying the handler'"'"'s positioning sensor if needed, and integrating the system with an OCU. The complete the Inventors system would provide a positioning solution for both the dog(s) and handler(s).

Claims

1. A method for canine handler operations positioning comprising:

providing a multifaceted electronic computer system that can be human-worn, or canine carried;

affixing the electronic computer system to one or more human handlers;

affixing the electronic computer system to one or more canines;

collecting audio and visual information from one or more wearers as they move throughout a GPS-denied environment;

producing real-time, 3D mapping and localization for one or more wearers as they move throughout a GPS-denied environment from the collected information;

providing an Operator Control Unit (OCU) displaying the information collected 2D floorplans;

3D textured-enriched surfaces of a structure'"'"'s interior; and

location of the users within that structure;

providing an open architecture that allows the multifaceted electronic computer system to function with an OCU;

creating a spring network among different updates; and

using the springs to pull a navigation solution to a more accurate location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

producing Urban Mapping and Positioning (UMAPS), and

providing GPS-denied position estimation for human and canine users.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

providing a human-worn mapping component of Urban Mapping and Positioning (UMAPS).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

determining canine unit positioning relative to the canine units mission objective.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

determining the strength of each spring by the confidence of the update;

and

using absolute position springs to pull an overall solution toward the updates.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

fusing a relative localization solution of multiple INS systems strapped to dismounted handlers;

as the handlers and canines explored the GPS-denied area, an INS navigation solution is sent to an OCU;

if the handlers and canines met at a rendezvous location, this is sent to the OCU which then creates a tight spring between their navigation solutions at a rendezvous time;

one or more looser springs exist along each canines or handlers relative solutions; and

one or more absolute springs also existed to absolute positions, which were either surveyed points that the handlers tagged as infinitely tight springs or GPS updates when available.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

using absolute position “

springs”

to pull the overall solution toward the updates.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

performing velocity updates at each foot-fall.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

providing synchronization between multiple localization units and group filtering;

and

maintaining accurate relative positions between separate units.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

synchronizing a handler and canine units;

telling a group filtering systems that they are in close proximity;

collecting one or more further synchronizations; and

adjusting heading and position of the team.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

providing one or more dog-worn sensor;

providing one or more handler'"'"'s shoe-worn sensor; and

using algorithms for maintaining localization of units of canines and handlers traveling in GPS and GPS-denied areas.

12. The method of claim 1, the step of

providing a positioning solution for both one or more canines and one or more handlers.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

providing distributed and networked Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR);

determining accurate relative localization of one or more platforms in relation to one or more other platforms; and

providing a variety of situation awareness tools to make an operational information collected from the platform sensors useful to one or more team members.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

when one or more teams are working and moving together, localizing and interfacing between the team members to know where each other team member is located.