# US 11,443,483 B2 · Validating and updating building models with path data > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,443,483 B2 - Document ID: US11443483B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/989,287 - Filed: 2020-08-10 - Published: 2020-11-26 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-01 - Assignees: Trx Systems, Inc. - Applicants: TRX Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Travis Young; Daniel Hakim; Daniel Franchy; Jared Napora; John Karvounis; Jonathan Fetter Degges; Tim Wang; Benjamin Funk; Carole Teolis; Carol Politi; Stuart Woodbury - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443483B2 ## CPC - G06T 17/05: Geographic models - G01C 21/206: {specially adapted for indoor navigation} - G01C 21/3867: {Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps} - G01S 5/02526: {using non-dedicated equipment, e.g. user equipment or crowd-sourcing} - G06F 30/13: Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads - G06T 19/20: Editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts - H04W 4/024: Guidance services - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W 4/33: for indoor environments, e.g. buildings - G01S 2205/02: Indoor - G06F 2119/20: Design reuse, reusability analysis or reusability optimisation - G06T 2200/24: involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs] - G06T 2210/04: Architectural design, interior design - G06T 2219/2021: Shape modification - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems, methods and instructions for creating building models of physical structures is disclosed. The building model may be a collection of floors defined by outlines containing regions that may be offset relative to a main region, and a collection of connectors. Connectors may have connection points for tracking, routing and sizing. Connectors may indicate elevation changes through georeferenced structural features. Signal elements may also be features that provide corrections when tracking. Feature descriptors are data that describes the structural configuration and signal elements enabling them to be matched to previously collected data in a database. User interface elements assist a user of a tracking device in collecting floor information, structural features and signal features and validating certain collected information based on previously known information. The height of floors may also be inferred based on sensor data from the tracking device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for validating and updating a building model, comprising: localizing a position of a mapping device relative to a building structure, the mapping device being carried or worn by a user; generating path data as the mapping device traverses the building structure; based on the path data, identifying a plurality of connectors, each connector comprising a plurality of connection points associated with an elevation, the plurality of connectors being configured to track the mapping device and generate a routing graph for routing the mapping device through the building structure; displaying, at a user interface, a portion of a building model corresponding to the localized position and the path data, wherein the building model comprises one or more previously mapped structural features and connectors; adding at least one connector to the displayed portion of the building model; receiving user generated inputs from the mapping device including a validation of at least one of: the added connector and a structural feature in the building model; and updating the displayed building model based on the user generated inputs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating, on the user interface, an icon indicative of readiness when localizing a position of the mapping device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the readiness corresponds to a certainty level with respect to at least one of position error, heading error, GPS data, and ranging data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: changing a color or shading of displayed areas of the building model, based on a confidence level with respect to at least one of: the localized position, the path data, and locations of one or more structural features within the building model. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein structural features include one or more of an elevator, a ramp, a tunnel, a stairwell, a stair platform, a skywalk, an entrance, an exit, a transition feature, a hallway, an intersection, a room, and an elevation change. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying the structural feature based on the at least one connector; and adding the structural feature to the displayed building model. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the validation is based on a confidence level. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the confidence level is based on one or more of previous corrections, signal data, validated structural features, and fingerprints from previously obtained sensor data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the validation is at least one of a size, orientation, or location of a structural feature in the building model. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the elevation associated with each connection point is used to estimate one or more floors or heights in the building model. ### Claim 11 A system for validating and updating a building model, comprising: a navigation engine configured to: localize a position of a mapping device relative to a building structure, and generate path data as the mapping device traverses the building structure; a display comprising a user interface configured to receive user input; and a computing device comprising a processor and a memory storing instructions that cause the computing device to: receive path data from the navigation engine and identify a plurality of connectors each connector comprising a plurality of connection points associated with an elevation, the plurality of connectors being configured to track the mapping device and generate a routing graph for routing the mapping device through the building structure; display, at the user interface, a portion of a building model corresponding to the localized position and the path data, wherein the building model comprises one or more previously mapped structural features and connectors; add at least one connector to the displayed portion of the building model; receive user generated inputs from the mapping device including a validation of at least one of: the added connector and a structural feature in the building model; and update the building model on the display based on user generated inputs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to indicate, on the display, an icon indicative of readiness when localizing a position of the mapping device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the readiness corresponds to a certainty level with respect to at least one of position error, heading error, GPS data, and ranging data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to change, on the display, a color or shading of building model, based on a confidence level with respect to at least one of: the localized position, the path data, and locations of one or more structural features within the building model. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein structural features include one or more of an elevator, a ramp, a tunnel, a stairwell, a stair platform, a skywalk, an entrance, an exit, a transition feature, a hallway, an intersection, a room, and an elevation change. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising instructions that cause the computing device to: identify the structural feature based on the at least one connector; and add the structural feature to the displayed building model. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the validation is based on a confidence level, and the confidence level is based on one or more of previous corrections, signal data, validated structural features, and fingerprints from previously obtained sensor data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the routing graph is two- or three-dimensional. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the routing graph provides turn-by-turn directions.