Localization within an environment using sensor fusion
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsPeter F. Trautman, Hui Li, Robert P. Higgins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for guiding a mobile platform within an environment may be provided. A number of first type of data streams and a number of second type of data streams may be generated using a plurality of data systems. A probability distribution may be applied to each of the number of second type of data streams to form a number of modified data streams. The number of first type of data streams and the number of modified data streams may be fused to generate a pose estimate with a desired level of accuracy for the mobile platform with respect to an environment around the mobile platform.
Claims25
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of data systems configured to generate a plurality of data streams in which the plurality of data streams includes a first data stream generated by a first data system of the plurality of data systems and a second data stream generated by a second data system of the plurality of data systems, wherein the first data stream includes a measurement of uncertainty for the first data stream as generated by the first data system, and wherein the second data stream does not include a measurement of uncertainty for the second data stream as generated by the second data system;
- a modifier configured to apply a predetermined probability distribution to the second data stream to form a modified data stream;
- and
- a pose estimator located onboard a mobile platform and configured to receive and fuse the first data stream and the modified data stream to generate a pose estimate with a desired level of accuracy for the mobile platform with respect to an environment around the mobile platform.
A mobile platform comprising:
- a base;
- a controller associated with the base and configured to receive data streams from a plurality of data systems in which the data streams include a first data stream generated by a first data system of the plurality of data systems and second data stream generated by a second data system of the plurality of data systems, wherein the first data stream includes a measurement of uncertainty for the first data stream as generated by the first data system, and wherein the second data stream does not include a measurement of uncertainty for the second data stream as generated by the second data system, and in which the controller comprises:
- a modifier configured to apply a predetermined probability distribution to the second data stream to form a modified data stream;
- and
- a pose estimator configured to receive the first data stream and the modified data stream as a plurality of data streams and to fuse the plurality of data streams together to generate a pose estimate with a desired level of accuracy for the mobile platform with respect to an environment around the mobile platform;
- and
- a movement system associated with the base and configured to be controlled by the controller based on the pose estimate to move the mobile platform within the environment.
A method for guiding a mobile platform within an environment, the method comprising:
- generating a first data stream by a first data system and a second data stream by a second data system, wherein the first data stream includes a measurement of uncertainty for the first data stream as generated by the first data system, and wherein the second data stream does not include a measurement of uncertainty for the second data stream as generated by the second data system;
- applying a predetermined probability distribution to the second data stream to form a modified data stream;
- and
- fusing the first data stream and the modified data stream to generate a pose estimate with a desired level of accuracy for the mobile platform with respect to the environment around the mobile platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.