METHOD FOR SENSING INTERIOR SPACES TO AUTO-GENERATE A NAVIGATIONAL MAP

• US 20170261595A1
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Published: 09/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innerspace Technology Inc. (Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Innerspace Technology Inc. (Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp.)
• Inventors: Wu, James, Gamblen, Jason, MacGillivray, Matt
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

A method for generating a routable map of a spatial environment, the method comprising the steps of: positioning a transponder in a location within said spatial environment at least one sensor; associating at least one sensor with said transponder, said at least one sensor being rotatable in at least one plane; measuring distances within said spatial environment with said at least one sensor relative to said location; and composing a local map model of spatial environment based on said measurements.

Claims

1. In a spatial environment, a method for determining a relative position of at least one transponder, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a first transponder in a first location within said spatial environment;

positioning a second transponder in a second location within said spatial environment;

positioning a third transponder in a third location within said spatial environment, wherein each of said transponders comprises at least one sensor;

causing each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder to scan said spatial environment with said at least one sensor and to measure distances within said spatial environment relative to each of said locations and determine orientation of said transponder within said spatial environment; and

each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder composing a corresponding first local map model, second local map model and a third local map model of said spatial environment;

each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder transmitting said first local map model, second local map model and a third local map model of said spatial environment to a first computing device;

at said first computing device, overlaying and aligning said first local map model, second local map model and a third local map model of said spatial environment to form a composite map model of said spatial environment; and

calculating said relative position of each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder based on distance measurements from each of said transponders.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a relative position of a fourth transponder is determined by at least one of a triangulation and trilateration technique.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a relative position of a fourth transponder is determined by measuring the signal strength of a Wi-Fi signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a second computing device receives said composite map model of said spatial environment to facilitate wayfinding and/or navigation within said spatial environment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said second computing device receives positioning signals from said at least one transponder to determine a relative position of said second computing device within said spatial environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first local map model, said second local map model and said third local map model is at least one of a 2-dimensional (2D) representation of said spatial environment, and a 3-dimensional (3D) representation of said spatial environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said transponders comprises a compass to determine said orientation of each of said transponders, and said first computing device overlays each of said first local map model, second local map model and a third local map model on a grid, and and aligns said first local map model, second local map model and a third local map model of said spatial environment using said orientation to form said composite map model of said spatial environment.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said transponders comprises an altimeter to determine the height of each of said transponders, and said first computing device overlays and aligns said first local map model, second local map model and a third local map model of said spatial environment using said altitude to form said composite map of said spatial environment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein when one of said local map models has a different altitude compared to other local map models, said one of said local map models is placed on a separate grid, and said different altitude is indicative of a different level with said spatial environment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein when said spatial environment is a multi-story building, then said different level is a different story.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein each of said transponders comprises a pattern recognition engine having executable instructions to perform a pattern recognition process to recognize common physical attributes within said spatial environment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein common physical attributes comprise at least one of a wall, structure, passageway, doorway, window opening, and furniture.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is mounted on a platform that is movable in at least one plane to allow said at least one sensor to be positioned in a plurality of positions to capture distance measurements within said spatial environment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said platform is controlled by a motor drive module comprising at least one motor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said transponders responds to any change in its location within said spatial environment by automatically generating an updated local map to reflect said any change.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said transponders responds to any change within said spatial environment by automatically generating an updated local map to reflect said any change.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said any change within said spatial environment is due at least one of a renovation, temporary deployment of an object or a structure.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said composite map model comprises said updated local map.

19. In a spatial environment, a method for determining a relative position of at least one transponder of a set of transponders positioned in different locations within a spatial environment, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a first transponder in a first location;

positioning a second transponder in a second location;

positioning a third transponder in a third location, wherein each of said transponders comprises at least one sensor;

causing said first transponder to scan said spatial environment and with said at least one sensor to measure distances within said spatial environment relative to said first location and composing a corresponding first local map model;

causing said second transponder to scan said spatial environment and with said at least one sensor to measure distances within said spatial environment relative to said second location and composing a corresponding second local map model;

causing said third transponder to scan said spatial environment and with said at least one sensor to measure distances within said spatial environment relative to said third location and composing a corresponding third local map model; and

wherein at least two of said transponders scan at least one common feature, and

each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder transmitting said first local map model, second local map model and a third local map model to said first computing device;

at said first computing device,

overlaying a first pair of said first local map model and said second local map model in different positions and orientations to iteratively match common features between said first pair, and determining a best match between said first local map model and said second local map model according to a predetermined match criteria; and

when said best match is determined, generating a first composite map model comprising said first local map model and said second local map model; and

overlaying a second pair of said first local map model and said third local map model in different positions and orientations to iteratively match said at least one common feature between said second pair, and determining a best match between said first local map model and said third local map model according to a predetermined match criteria; and

when said best match is determined, generating a second composite map model comprising said first local map model and said third local map model; and

overlaying a third pair of said second local map model and said third local map model in different positions and orientations to iteratively match said at least one common feature between said third pair, and determining a best match between said second local map model and said third local map model according to a predetermined match criteria; and

when said best match is determined, generating a third composite map model comprising said first local map model and said third local map model;

generating a single composite map model comprising said first composite map model, said second composite map model and third composite map model; and

calculating said relative position of each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder based on distance measurements from each of said transponders.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a relative position of a fourth transponder is determined by at least one of a triangulation and trilateration technique.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a relative position of a fourth transponder is determined by measuring the signal strength of a radio signal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a relative position of a fourth transponder is determined by measuring the signal strength of a Wi-Fi radio signal.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein a second computing device receives said composite map model of said spatial environment to facilitate wayfinding and/or navigation within said spatial environment.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said second computing device receives positioning signals from said at least one transponder determine relative position of said second computing device within said spatial environment.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder transmits information related to the orientation of its local map model to said first computing device, whereby said information related to said orientation reduces the number of potential pairings that need to be examined by eliminating those pairings that do not match the known orientation.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein each of said first local map model, said second local map model and said third local map model is a 2-dimensional (2D) representation of said spatial environment, and said composite map model is a 2-dimensional (2D) representation of said spatial environment.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein each of said first local map model, said second local map model and said third local map model is a 3-dimensional (3D) representation of said spatial environment, and said composite map model is a 3-dimensional (3D) representation of said spatial environment.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said spatial environment is represented by said 2D composite map model and said 3D composite map model.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein when said relative position of each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder is determined, any other transponder introduced into said spatial environment can be self-located.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said any other transponder triangulates signals from each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder to establish its relative physical position.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said any other transponder trilaterates signals from each of said first transponder, said second transponder, and said third transponder to establish its relative physical position.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein each of said transponders responds to any change in its location within said spatial environment by automatically generating an updated local map to reflect said any change.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein each of said transponders responds to any change within said spatial environment by automatically generating an updated local map to reflect said any change.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said any change within said spatial environment is due at least one of a renovation, temporary deployment of an object or a structure.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein said composite map model comprises said updated local map.