Correcting in-venue location estimation using structural information

• US 9,918,203 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Joseph Ding-Jiu, Tay, Darin, Mayor, Robert, Millman, David Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MONG-THUY THI
• Application Number:
  US14/866,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20160360380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4563, 455457
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0263 by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for correcting in-venue location estimation using structural information are described. A mobile device can use wireless location technologies and dead reckoning to determine an estimated location of the mobile device in a venue. The mobile device can compare the estimated location with a map of the venue. Upon determining that the estimated location conflicts with a structural constraint, the mobile device can adjust the location estimation using the structural information. Adjusting the location estimation can include adjusting a statistical filter that provides estimation of the location and changing a heading of the mobile device used in the dead reckoning.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a mobile device, an in-venue location and a heading, the in-venue location being an estimated location of the mobile device inside of a venue that is accessible by a pedestrian and that includes constraints limiting movement of the pedestrian, the in-venue location being estimated using a statistical filter of the mobile device, the heading being estimated based on one or more motion sensor readings of the mobile device;

determining, by the mobile device and using a venue accessibility map, that the estimated location is inside an inaccessible area of the venue that, according to the constraints in the venue as represented in the venue accessibility map, is inaccessible by a user of the mobile device;

determining that, if the mobile device moved in a direction that is at a specified angle to the heading, the estimated location would not have been in the inaccessible area and would have been accessible by the user;

estimating a corrected in-venue location of the mobile device, including adjusting parameters of the statistical filter by assigning more weights along the direction in estimating the in-venue location of the mobile device; and

adjusting, for a next iteration of in-venue location estimation, the heading of the mobile device by an amount that is less than the specified angle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the statistical filter is a particle filter for estimating a location by filtering particles, each particle being a candidate location of the mobile device in the venue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein adjusting the statistical filter parameters comprises selecting candidate locations along the direction for filtering in the next iteration of in-venue location estimation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the venue accessibility map comprises a digital map of the constraints in the venue and a grid overlaid on the digital map, the grid having a plurality of cells each indicating whether a portion of the venue overlaid by the cell is accessible or inaccessible.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified angle is substantially a right angle that has a sign indicating whether the direction is clockwise or counter-clockwise of the heading.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising adjusting the heading of the mobile device by an amount that has the same sign as the specified angle.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising presenting the corrected in-venue location for display on the mobile device.

8. A mobile device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

determining an in-venue location and a heading, the in-venue location being an estimated location of the mobile device inside of a venue that is accessible by a pedestrian and that includes constraints limiting movement of the pedestrian, the in-venue location being estimated using a statistical filter of the mobile device, the being estimated based on one or more motion sensor readings of the mobile device;

determining using a venue accessibility map, that the estimated location is inside an inaccessible area of the venue that, according to the constraints in the venue as represented in the venue accessibility map, is inaccessible by a user of the mobile device;

determining that, if the mobile device moved in a direction that is at a specified angle to the heading, the estimated location would not have been in the inaccessible area and would have been accessible by the user, the specified angle having a sign indicating whether the direction is clockwise or counter clockwise from the heading; and

estimating a corrected in-venue location of the mobile device, including adjusting parameters of the statistical filter by assigning more weights along the direction in estimating the in-venue location of the mobile device; and

adjusting the heading of the mobile device by an amount that is less than the specified angle and that has the same sign as the specified angle.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the statistical filter is a particle filter for estimating a location by filtering particles, each particle being a candidate location of the mobile device in the venue.

10. The mobile device of claim 9, wherein adjusting the statistical filter parameters comprises selecting candidate locations along the direction for filtering in a next iteration of location estimation.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the venue accessibility map comprises a digital map of the constraints in the venue and a grid overlaid on the digital map, the grid having a plurality of cells each indicating whether a portion of the venue overlaid by the cell is accessible or inaccessible.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the specified angle is substantially a right angle.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, comprising presenting the corrected in-venue location for display on the mobile device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a mobile device, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining an in-venue location and a heading, the in-venue location being an estimated location of the mobile device inside of a venue that is accessible by a pedestrian and that includes constraints limiting movement of the pedestrian, the in-venue location being estimated using a statistical filter of the mobile device, the heading being estimated based on one or more motion sensor readings of the mobile device;

determining using a venue accessibility map, that the estimated location is inside an inaccessible area of the venue that, according to the constraints in the venue as represented in the venue accessibility map, is inaccessible by a user of the mobile device;

determining that, if the mobile device moved in a direction that is at a specified angle to the heading, the estimated location would not have been in the inaccessible area and would have been accessible by the user;

estimating a corrected in-venue location of the mobile device, including adjusting parameters of the statistical filter by assigning more weights along the direction in estimating the in-venue location of the mobile device; and

adjusting, for a next iteration of in-venue location estimation, the heading of the mobile device by an amount that is less than the specified angle.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the statistical filter is a particle filter for estimating a location by filtering particles, each particle being a candidate location of the mobile device in the venue.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein adjusting the statistical filter parameters comprises selecting candidate locations along the direction for filtering in the next iteration of in-venue location estimation.