System and method for estimating the position and orientation of a mobile communications device in a beacon-based positioning system

• US 10,001,547 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2016
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ryan, Daniel, Green, Kelby Edward, Malandrakis, Emanuel Paul, Klitenik, Konstantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Li
• Application Number:
  US15/066,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20160195604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1141 One-way transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1149 Arrangements for indoor wireless networking of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/30 Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback

Abstract

An example of a technique for maintaining a previously calibrated mobile device positioning system to account for changes in perturbers of the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field. A mobile device obtains a corrected heading estimate of the mobile device within a space based on a previously recorded heading correction value. The mobile device also calculates a device heading relative to a previously orientated map of the space. The mobile device subsequently updates the heading correction value with any deviation between the corrected heading estimate and the calculated device heading.

Claims

1. A method, comprising steps of:

capturing, at a first mobile device, via an image sensor of the first mobile device, one or more images including at least one signal modulated within visible light, wherein;

the visible light is transmitted from a plurality of visible light sources located within a space;

any one signal is modulated within visible light transmitted by a respective one visible light source; and

each modulated signal corresponds to a respective identity of the respective visible light source;

processing, at the first mobile device, the one or more images to determine, based at least in part on the at least one modulated signal, an estimated location of the first mobile device within the space;

capturing, at the first mobile device, via a compass of the first mobile device, a raw heading measurement;

obtaining, at the first mobile device, the corrected heading estimate based at least in part on the raw heading measurement;

determining, at the first mobile device, the likely orientation of the first mobile device relative to a map of the space;

comparing, at the first mobile device, the corrected heading estimate and the likely orientation of the first mobile device relative to the map of the space to obtain a first apparent deviation;

recording, at the first mobile device, the first apparent deviation in association with the estimated location of the first mobile device;

receiving, at a server platform, from the first mobile device, an indicator of the estimated location and the first apparent deviation for the estimated location within the space;

updating, at the server platform, based on the first apparent deviation for the estimated location, a deviation angle previously stored in association with the estimated location by;

retrieving, based on the indicator of the estimated location, the previously stored deviation angle;

calculating, based on the first apparent deviation for the first mobile device at the estimated location and the previously stored deviation angle, a running average of corrected deviation angles for the estimated location; and

replacing the previously recorded deviation angle with the calculated running average of corrected deviation angles for the estimated location;

receiving, at the server platform, from a second mobile device located at the estimated location, the indicator of the estimated location and a second apparent deviation for the estimated location, the second apparent deviation being a deviation between the corrected heading estimate of the second mobile device at the estimated location and the likely orientation of the second mobile device at the estimated location; and

updating, at the server platform, based on the second apparent deviation for the estimated location, the updated deviation angle by;

retrieving, based on the indicator of the estimated location, the calculated running average of corrected deviation angles for the estimated location as the updated deviation angle;

calculating, based on the second apparent deviation for the second mobile device at the estimated location and the updated deviation angle, an updated running average of corrected deviation angles for the estimated location; and

replacing the updated deviation angle with the updated running average of corrected deviation angles for the estimated location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the corrected heading estimate comprises:

obtaining, based on the estimated location of the first mobile device, the deviation angle; and

determining, based on the raw heading measurement and the deviation angle, the corrected heading estimate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining the deviation angle comprises:

retrieving, from a memory of the first mobile device and based on the estimated location of the first mobile device, the deviation angle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining the deviation angle comprises:

transmitting, via a wireless interface of the first mobile device, the estimated location of the first mobile device; and

receiving, via the wireless interface, the deviation angle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the first apparent deviation in association with the estimated location of the first mobile device comprises:

retrieving, from a memory of the first mobile device and based on the estimated location of the first mobile device, a previously recorded deviation angle;

calculating, based on the first apparent deviation and the previously recorded deviation angle, a running average of corrected deviation angles; and

replacing the previously recorded deviation angle with the calculated running average of corrected deviation angles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the first apparent deviation in association with the estimated location of the first mobile device comprises replacing, in a memory of the first mobile device, a previously recorded deviation angle with the previously recorded deviation angle modified by the first apparent deviation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the first apparent deviation in association with the estimated location of the mobile device comprises transmitting, via a wireless interface of the first mobile device, the first apparent deviation and the estimated location of the first mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receipt of the first apparent deviation from the first mobile device;

receiving, from the first mobile device, the indicator of the estimated location;

retrieving, based on the indicator of the estimated location, the previously stored deviation angle; and

transmitting, to the first mobile device, the previously stored deviation angle; and

prior to receipt of the second apparent deviation from the second mobile device;

receiving, from the second mobile device, the indicator of the estimated location;

retrieving, based on the indicator of the estimated location, the updated deviation angle; and

transmitting, to the second mobile device, the updated deviation angle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receipt of the first apparent deviation from the first mobile device;

receiving, from the first mobile device, an identifier of a light source located proximate the estimated location;

retrieving, based on the identifier, the previously stored deviation angle; and

transmitting, to the first mobile device, the previously stored deviation angle; and

prior to receipt of the second apparent deviation from the second mobile device;

receiving, from the second mobile device, the identifier of the light source located proximate the estimated location;

retrieving, based on the identifier, the updated deviation angle; and

transmitting, to the second mobile device, the updated deviation angle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receipt of the first apparent deviation from the first mobile device;

receiving, from the first mobile device, the indication of the estimated location and a raw heading measurement of the first mobile device at the estimated location;

retrieving, based on the indicator of the estimated location, the previously stored deviation angle;

correcting, based on the previously stored deviation angle, the raw heading measurement of the first mobile device to produce the corrected heading estimate of the first mobile device at the estimated location; and

transmitting, to the first mobile device, the corrected heading estimate of the first mobile device at the estimated location; and

prior to receipt of the second apparent deviation from the second mobile device;

receiving, from the second mobile device, the indication of the estimated location and a raw heading measurement of the second mobile device at the estimated location;

retrieving, based on the indicator of the estimated location, the updated deviation angle;

correcting, based on the updated deviation angle, the raw heading measurement of the second mobile device to produce the corrected heading estimate of the second mobile device at the estimated location; and

transmitting, to the second mobile device, the corrected heading estimate of the second mobile device at the estimated location.

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

receiving, from a third mobile device located at a second estimated location within the space, an indicator of the second estimated location and a third apparent deviation for the second estimated location within the space, the third apparent deviation being the deviation between the corrected heading estimate of the third mobile device at the second estimated location and the likely orientation of the third mobile device at the second estimated location;

updating, based on the third apparent deviation for the second estimated location, the deviation angle previously stored in association with the second estimated location;

receiving, from a fourth mobile device located at the second estimated location, the indicator of the second estimated location and a fourth apparent deviation for the second estimated location, the fourth apparent deviation being the deviation between the corrected heading estimate of the fourth mobile device at the second estimated location and the likely orientation of the fourth mobile device at the second estimated location; and

updating, based on the fourth apparent deviation for the second estimated location, the updated deviation angle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

(a) updating the deviation angle previously stored in association with the second estimated location comprises;

retrieving, based on the indicator of the second estimated location, the previously stored deviation angle;

calculating, based on the third apparent deviation for the third mobile device at the second estimated location and the previously stored deviation angle, a running average of corrected deviation angles for the second estimated location; and

replacing the previously recorded deviation angle with the calculated running average of corrected deviation angles for the second estimated location; and

(b) updating the updated deviation angle comprises;

retrieving, based on the indicator of the second estimated location, the calculated running average of corrected deviation angles for the second estimated location as the updated deviation angle;

calculating, based on the fourth apparent deviation for the fourth mobile device at the second estimated location and the updated deviation angle, an updated running average of corrected deviation angles for the second estimated location; and

replacing the updated deviation angle with the updated running average of corrected deviation angles for the second estimated location.