Method and system for disambiguation of augmented reality tracking databases

• US 9,865,087 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huntington Ingalls, Inc. (Huntington Ingalls Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Huntington Ingalls, Inc. (Huntington Ingalls Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bare, Brian, Martin, Jonathan, Sells, Paul, Ryan, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Faulk, Devona
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Hai Tao
• Application Number:
  US14/210,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20140267417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 345633
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/909 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location spatiotemporally dependent retrieval from the web G06F16/9537
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A method and system for reducing the amount of processing that an augmented reality platform needs to perform in order to provide an augmented reality experience to a user. The present invention enhances the efficiency of augmented reality processing by reducing the amount of tracking cues and images that need to be processed to determine the narrow pose of a mobile device that outputs the augmented reality experience.

Claims

1. A method for determining a narrow pose of a mobile device in a sub-space of a large space for providing an augmented reality experience, the method comprising:

receiving, by the mobile device from a local positioning system at least partially disposed within the subspace, local position information relative to a coordinate system associated with a three dimensional model of the sub-space;

receiving, by a central processor, information from the mobile device before a sub-space location of the mobile device within the large space is known, the information including the local position information and being usable to determine a sub-space ID uniquely corresponding to the sub-space in which the mobile device is disposed;

using the information to determine the sub-space ID corresponding to the sub-space in which the mobile device is disposed;

determining a sub-space location of the mobile device within the large space using the unique sub-space ID;

identifying, using the sub-space ID, a subset of tracking cues within a tracking cue database indexed by sub-space IDs uniquely corresponding to sub-spaces within the large space, the subset of tracking cues comprising tracking cues within the sub-space in which the mobile device is disposed;

processing the subset of tracking cues by an augmented reality processor;

receiving images of the sub-space captured by the mobile device;

processing the images by the augmented reality processor; and

determining, by the augmented reality processor, the narrow pose of the mobile device in the sub-space, using the inputted images and subset of tracking cues.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local position information is received by the mobile device as a digital signal comprising at least one of the set consisting of a light pulse, an RFID signal, a radio signal, an audio signal, and a Wi-Fi signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the local position information is received by the mobile device as a unique audio signal sounded within the sub-space.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a head-mounted display, a tablet computer, or a smartphone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the local position information is received by the mobile device using a camera on the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein all known tracking cues of the large space are stored in the tracking cue database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the large space is a building and the sub-space is a room in the building.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the large space is a ship and the sub-space is a room in the ship.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed cause a processor to perform the actions of:

receiving from the mobile device before a sub-space location of the mobile device within the large space is known, information usable to determine a sub-space ID uniquely corresponding to the sub-space in which the mobile device is disposed, the information including local position information relative to a coordinate system associated with a three dimensional model of the sub-space in which the mobile device is disposed;

using the information to determine the sub-space ID corresponding to the sub-space in which the mobile device is disposed;

determining a sub-space location of the mobile device within the large space using the unique sub-space ID;

identifying a subset of tracking cues within a tracking cue database by using the sub-space ID, the tracking cue database being indexed by sub-space IDs uniquely corresponding to sub-spaces within the large space and the subset of tracking cues comprising tracking cues within the sub-space in which the mobile device is disposed;

processing the subset of tracking cues by an augmented reality processor;

receiving images of the sub-space captured by the mobile device;

processing the images by the augmented reality processor; and

determining, by the augmented reality processor, the narrow pose of the mobile device in the sub-space, using the inputted images and subset of tracking cues.