Systems and methods for computing a relative pose for global localization in a visual simultaneous localization and mapping system

A circuit for a mobile device that is configured to compute a relative pose for autonomous localization of the mobile device, the circuit comprising:

• a means for identifying one visual landmark of a plurality of stored visual landmarks that matches an image provided by a visual sensor coupled to the mobile device;
• a means for identifying corresponding features shown in both the image and the matching visual landmark:
• a means for determining 2-dimensional coordinates within the image for the corresponding features of the image;
• a means for retrieving 3-dimensional data consisting essentially of 3-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of the corresponding features of the matching visual landmark;
• a means for computing a hypothetical device pose further comprising:
• a means for projecting the 3-dimensional coordinates of the corresponding features of the matching visual landmark onto new 2-dimensional coordinates of a hypothetical image, where the hypothetical image corresponds to an image that would be observed by the visual sensor if the device were to be re-posed according to the hypothetical device pose;
• a means for generating a projection error by comparing the new 2-dimensional coordinates to the 2-dimensional coordinates for the corresponding features of the image;
• and
• a means for solving for the hypothetical device pose that corresponds to a low projection error, and
• a means for using the hypothetical device pose as the computed relative device pose.

A computer program embodied in a tangible medium for computing a relative pose for autonomous localization for a mobile device, the computer program comprising:

• a module with instructions for identifying one visual landmark of a plurality of stored visual landmarks that matches an image provided by a visual sensor coupled to the mobile device;
• a module with instructions for identifying corresponding features shown in both the image and the matching visual landmark;
• a module with instructions configured to determine 2-dimensional coordinates within the image for the corresponding features of the image;
• a module with instructions configured to retrieve 3-dimensional data consisting essentially of the 3-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of the corresponding features of the matching visual landmark;
• a module with instructions configured to compute a hypothetical device pose further comprises:
• instructions configured to project the 3-dimensional coordinates of the corresponding features of the matching visual landmark onto new 2-dimensional coordinates of a hypothetical image, where the hypothetical image corresponds to an image that would be observed by the visual sensor if the device were to be re-posed according to the hypothetical device pose;
• instructions configured to generate a projection error by comparing the new 2-dimensional coordinates to the 2-dimensional coordinates for the corresponding features of the image;
• and
• instructions configured to solve for the hypothetical device pose that corresponds to a low projection error;
• and
• a module with instructions configured to use the hypothetical device pose as the computed relative device pose.

A circuit in a mobile device for computing a relative pose for autonomous localization for the mobile device, the circuit comprising:

• a circuit configured to identifying one visual landmark of a plurality of stored visual landmarks that matches an image provided by a visual sensor coupled to the mobile device;
• a circuit configured to identifying corresponding features shown in both the image and the matching visual landmark;
• a circuit configured to determine 2-dimensional coordinates within the image for the corresponding features of the image;
• a circuit configured to retrieve 3-dimensional data consisting essentially of the 3-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of the corresponding features of the matching visual landmark;
• a circuit configured to compute a hypothetical device pose, further comprising;
• a circuit configured to project the 3-dimensional coordinates of the corresponding features of the matching visual landmark onto new 2-dimensional coordinates of a hypothetical image, where the hypothetical image corresponds to an image that would be observed by the visual sensor if the device were to be re-posed according to the hypothetical device pose;
• a circuit configured to generate a projection error by comparing the new 2-dimensional coordinates to the 2-dimensional coordinates for the corresponding features of the image;
• and
• a circuit configured to solve for the hypothetical device pose that corresponds to a low projection error;
• and
• where the circuit is configured to use the hypothetical device pose as the computed relative device pose.