Beacon-Augmented Pose Estimation

• US 20070276590A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Daily, Michael J., Azuma, Ronald T., Leonard, Jon N., Neely, Howard E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/18 Military applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves

Abstract

A beacon-augmented pose estimation system includes positionable beacons that can determine their own 3-D geospatial coordinates and transmit those coordinates back to the pose object. An imaging sensor images the field-of-view of the pose object to provide 2-D image coordinates for any of the beacons in the FOV. A pose object controller processes the sets of 3-D geospatial coordinates and 2-D image coordinates to refine a pose estimate of the pose object. The positionable beacons may include both static beacons that are pre-positioned and mobile beacons that are command-guided to position themselves in the pose object'"'"'s likely or actual FOV.

Claims

1. A beacon-augmented system for determining the pose of a pose object, comprising:

At least one positionable beacon configured to determine and transmit its 3-D geospatial coordinates;

An imager on a pose object configured to image a field-of-view including at least one said positionable beacon and to determine each said beacon'"'"'s 2-D image coordinates; and

A pose object controller configured to process the at least one set of 3-D geospatial coordinates and 2-D image coordinates to refine a pose estimate of the pose object.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

A sensor package that provides inertial measurements of the pose object to determine the pose estimate.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor package provides roll and pitch measurements.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the imager images one said positionable beacon to provide a yaw measurement, said pose object controller using said roll, pitch and yaw measurements to determine the pose estimate.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the pose estimate is a 6-D pose estimate, said sensor package further comprising a GPS receiver that provides 3-D geospatial coordinates of the pose object, said pose object controller using said pose object 3-D geospatial coordinates and said roll, pitch and yaw measurements to determine the 6-D pose estimate.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one positionable beacon includes a GPS receiver to determine its 3-D geospatial coordinates.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said positionable beacons is mounted on a vehicle that is configured to move to position the beacon in the imager'"'"'s FOV in response to a command.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the pose object controller transmits the command to position the beacon in the imager'"'"'s FOV.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the pose object controller issues commands to position a beacon near an object of interest in the imager'"'"'s FOV.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the pose object controller issues commands to position a pair of beacons approximately equidistant on either side of an object of interest in the imager'"'"'s FOV at approximately the same range point as the object.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the pose object controller issues commands to position multiple pairs of beacons approximately equidistance on either side of an object of interest in the imager'"'"'s FOV at different heights at approximately the same range point as the object.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one said positionable beacons includes at least one static beacon and at least one moveable beacon.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one said moveable beacon is on an unmanned aerial vehicle.

14. The system of claim 1 including a plurality of said positionable beacons, said imager imaging a subset of said plurality in its FOV and providing the 2-D image coordinates to the pose object controller where they are matched with the respective 3-D beacon geospatial coordinates into said sets, said pose object controller processing each set one at a time to refine the pose estimate.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said object controller includes a Single Constraint at A Time (SCAAT) filter that processes the 2-D image coordinates and 3-D geospatial coordinates to refine the pose estimate.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pose objects each having an imager and a pose object controller that utilize a common set of said at least one positionable beacon to refine a pose estimate for each pose object.

17. A system for determining the pose of a pose object, comprising:

A plurality of positionable beacons each configured to determine and transmit its 3-D geospatial coordinates;

An imager on a pose object configured to image a field-of-view including at least one said positionable beacon and to determine each said beacon'"'"'s 2-D image coordinates;

A GPS receiver on the pose object to provide its 3-D geospatial coordinates;

An inertial sensor on the pose object to provide its pitch and roll; and

A pose object controller configured to process a set of beacon 3-D geospatial coordinates and 2-D image coordinates to estimate the pose object yaw and provide an initial 6-D pose estimate of the pose object and thereafter to process the at least one set of beacon 3-D geospatial coordinates and 2-D image coordinates to refine the 6-D pose estimate.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said plurality of positionable beacons includes at least one static beacon and at least one moveable beacon that can move into the imager'"'"'s FOV in response to a command.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the pose object controller transmits the command to position the beacon in the imager'"'"'s FOV.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said imager images a subset of said plurality of beacons in its FOV and provides the 2-D image coordinates to the pose object controller where they are matched with the respective 3-D beacon geospatial coordinates into said sets, said pose object controller processing each set one at a time to refine the pose estimate.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said object controller includes a Single Constraint at A Time (SCAAT) filter that processes the 2-D image coordinates and 3-D geospatial coordinates to refine the pose estimate.

22. A method for determining the pose of a pose object, comprising:

Deploying at least one positionable beacon configured to determine and transmit its 3-D geospatial coordinates;

From a pose object, imaging a field-of-view including at least one said positionable beacon and determining each said beacon'"'"'s 2-D image coordinates;

Providing an initial pose estimate of the pose object; and

Processing the at least one set of 3-D geospatial coordinates and 2-D image coordinates to refine the pose estimate of the pose object.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the positionable beacon moves to position itself in the imager'"'"'s FOV in response to a command.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the command is initiated from the pose object.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein a pair of said beacons are positioned approximately equidistant on either side of an object of interest in the imager'"'"'s FOV at approximately the same range point as the object.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one static beacon and at least one moving beacon are deployed.