# US 12,181,285 B2 · Electronic apparatus and control method thereof

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- Number: US 12,181,285 B2
- Document ID: US12181285B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/167,450
- Filed: 2021-02-04
- Published: 2021-08-12
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-02-06
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yosub Park; Hyunki Hong; Jewoong Ryu; Sejin Kwak
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181285B2

## CPC

- G01C 21/1652: {with ranging devices, e.g. LIDAR or RADAR}
- G01C 21/20: Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence)
- G01C 17/02: Magnetic compasses
- G01C 21/1654: {with electromagnetic compass}
- G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46)
- G01S 17/86: Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
- G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging
- G01C 21/3826: {Terrain data}
- G01C 21/383: {Indoor data}
- 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

## Abstract

An electronic apparatus and a method of controlling thereof are provided. The method of controlling the electronic apparatus includes obtaining a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) map for estimating a location of the electronic apparatus, based on an event for obtaining the location of the electronic apparatus occurring, obtaining geomagnetic information around the electronic apparatus using a geomagnetic sensor, identifying a direction of the electronic apparatus based on the obtained geomagnetic information, and obtaining the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map based on the identified direction and the LiDAR sensor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method performed by an electronic apparatus comprising:
obtaining, by the electronic apparatus, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) map prestored in memory for estimating a location of the electronic apparatus;
based on an event for obtaining the location of the electronic apparatus occurring, obtaining, by the electronic apparatus, geomagnetic information around the electronic apparatus using a geomagnetic sensor;
identifying, by the electronic apparatus, a direction of the electronic apparatus based on the obtained geomagnetic information; and
based on the electronic apparatus being within a predetermined range radius from the identified direction, searching, by the electronic apparatus, the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map using a LiDAR sensor,
wherein the identifying comprises:
obtaining a geomagnetic map around the electronic apparatus using the geomagnetic sensor;
identifying the direction of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map and at least one second estimated location by matching geomagnetic size information and direction information included in the obtained geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic information; and
searching the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map through the LiDAR sensor based on the direction of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map and the at least one second estimated location, and
wherein the electronic apparatus is configured to travel to an area where the electronic apparatus intends to generate a geomagnetic map.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1,
wherein the geomagnetic information includes information on a geomagnetic direction around the electronic apparatus, and
wherein the identifying comprises:
identifying a true north direction using the information on the geomagnetic direction; and
identifying a direction of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map by matching the identified true north direction with the true north direction on the LiDAR map.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
based on the electronic apparatus not being within the predetermined range radius from the identified direction, searching, by the electronic apparatus, the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map using the LiDAR sensor with respect to a direction of 360 degrees.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
while a recent location of the electronic apparatus is pre-stored, based on an event for searching the location of the electronic apparatus occurring, identifying a first estimated location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map using at least one of an inertia measurement unit (IMU) sensor or a wheel encoder; and
based on the first estimated location, the identified direction, and the LiDAR sensor, searching the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the identifying further comprises:
identifying at least one third estimated location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map by matching geomagnetic size information included in the obtained geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic size information included in the geomagnetic information; and
identifying the direction of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map, and at least one second estimated location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map,
wherein the identifying the second estimated location comprises identifying at least one location among the identified at least one third estimated location as the second estimated location.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the searching the location comprises searching the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map using the LiDAR sensor with respect to the location of a predetermined range radius from the second estimated location, and the direction of the predetermined range radius from the identified direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
based on the location of the electronic apparatus not being within a predetermined range from the second estimated location, and the direction of the predetermined range radius from the identified direction, searching the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map using the LiDAR sensor with respect to an entire location of the LiDAR map and a direction of 360 degrees.

### Claim 8

An electronic apparatus comprising:
memory storing one or more computer programs; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory,
wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to:
obtain a LiDAR map prestored in the memory for estimating a location of the electronic apparatus, based on an event for obtaining the location of the electronic apparatus occurring,
obtain geomagnetic information around the electronic apparatus using a geomagnetic sensor,
identify a direction of the electronic apparatus based on the obtained geomagnetic information, and
search the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map using a LiDAR sensor based on the electronic apparatus being within a predetermined range radius from the identified direction,
wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to:
obtain a geomagnetic map around the electronic apparatus using the geomagnetic sensor,
identify the direction of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map and at least one second estimated location by matching geomagnetic size information and direction information included in the obtained geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic information, and
search the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map through the LiDAR sensor based on the direction of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map and the at least one second estimated location, and
wherein the electronic apparatus is configured to travel to an area where the electronic apparatus intends to generate a geomagnetic map.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8,
wherein the geomagnetic information includes information on a geomagnetic direction around the electronic apparatus, and
wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to:
identify a true north direction using the information on the geomagnetic direction, and
identify a direction of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map by matching the identified true north direction with the true north direction on the LiDAR map.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus, based on the electronic apparatus not being within the predetermined range radius from the identified direction, to search the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map using the LiDAR sensor with respect to a direction of 360 degrees.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus, while a recent location of the electronic apparatus is pre-stored, based on an event for searching the location of the electronic apparatus occurring, to identify a first estimated location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map using at least one of an inertia measurement unit (IMU) sensor or a wheel encoder, and
based on the first estimated location, the identified direction, and the LiDAR sensor, obtain the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to:
identify at least one third estimated location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map by matching the geomagnetic size information included in the obtained geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic size information included in the geomagnetic information,
identify the direction of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map, and at least one second estimated location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map by matching geomagnetic direction information included in the obtained geomagnetic map with geomagnetic direction information included in the geomagnetic information, and
based on the second estimated location being located, to identify at least one location among the identified at least one third estimated location as the second estimated location.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to search the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map by using the LiDAR sensor with respect to the location of a predetermined range from a second estimated location, and the direction of the predetermined range radius from the identified direction.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The electronic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to, based on the location of the electronic apparatus not being within a predetermined range from the second estimated location, and the direction of the predetermined range radius from the identified direction, search the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map by using the LiDAR sensor with respect to an entire location of the LiDAR map and a direction of 360 degrees.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the an event for searching the location of the electronic apparatus comprises at least one of: an event in which the electronic apparatus is turned off and on, an event in which a user lifts the electronic apparatus and moves it at a random place, an event when a difference between an initially obtained map and a currently scanned map is large, an event in which the electronic apparatus is lost while driving, or an event in which scanning is impossible since the electronic apparatus is surrounded by people.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The electronic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to, based on the location of the electronic apparatus not being within the predetermined range from the second estimated location, and the direction of the predetermined range radius from the identified direction, search the location of the electronic apparatus on the LiDAR map by using the LiDAR sensor and incrementally increasing the predetermined range radius.