Systems and methods for using multiple hypotheses in a visual simultaneous localization and mapping system

A method of autonomous localization and mapping, the method comprising:

• visually observing an environment via a visual sensor;
• maintaining a map of landmarks in a data store, where the map of landmarks is based at least in part on visual observations of the environment;
• receiving data from a dead reckoning sensor, where data from the dead reckoning sensor relates to movement of the visual sensor within the environment;
• using data from the dead reckoning sensor and a prior pose estimate to predict a new device pose in a global reference frame at least partly in response to a determination that a known landmark has not been encountered;
• and
• using data from the visual sensor to predict a new device pose in the global reference frame at least partly in response to a determination that a known landmark has been recognized, where the new device pose estimate is based at least in part on a previous pose estimate associated with the known landmark and using the visual sensor data to update the map;
• wherein the data from the visual sensor comprises 2D image coordinates of features associated with the recognized landmark.