Underwater equipment positioning method and equipment
By obtaining and comparing the identification information and historical picture information of underwater equipment, combining visual and sonar modules, the problem of difficulty in positioning underwater equipment in complex environments is solved, efficient and accurate positioning and navigation are achieved, and the improvement of Task efficiency and autonomous navigation capabilities.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411342800.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-25
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing underwater equipment is difficult to position in complex underwater environments and lacks effective positioning methods, resulting in large errors and low efficiency.
By obtaining the identifier information of the current environment and comparing it with the historical picture information, we can determine whether the identifier information is unique. If it is unique, we will locate it. Combining the visual recognition module and the sonar module to obtain the environmental feature information, and using the deep learning algorithm to generate and Optimize historical maps to ensure that the equipment is quickly and accurately positioned in complex environments.
It realizes fast and accurate positioning and navigation in complex underwater environments, reduces error and repetition, improves task efficiency and equipment's autonomous cruise capabilities, and reduces dependence on external navigation systems.
Smart Images
Figure CN119223283A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of underwater equipment, and in particular to a positioning method and equipment for underwater equipment. Background Art
[0002] In the existing underwater equipment positioning technology, the complexity and unpredictability of the underwater environment make positioning face many challenges. The underwater environment usually lacks effective coverage of global positioning systems such as GPS, and the propagation of underwater signals is limited by the absorption and reflection of water bodies, resulting in the limitation of the use of conventional communication methods such as sound waves and light waves. In addition, the underwater environment often has problems such as low visibility, insufficient light, and turbidity, which greatly reduces the effectiveness of traditional visual positioning and navigation technology when applied underwater.
[0003] Existing underwater cleaning equipment does not have a good positioning method. Most cleaning equipment can only move along random routes or use inertial navigation devices. The large errors cause the trajectory to be more messy and repetitive during operation, resulting in low work efficiency. Summary of the invention
[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method and device for positioning underwater equipment, so as to solve the problem that it is difficult to position the underwater equipment in application scenarios.
[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:
[0006] A method for positioning underwater equipment, the method comprising the steps of:
[0007] Control underwater equipment to obtain marker information of the current environment;
[0008] Based on the historical scene information, it is determined whether the marker information is unique. If the marker information is unique, the underwater equipment is controlled to perform positioning according to the marker information.
[0009] In order to solve the above technical problems, another technical solution adopted by the present invention is:
[0010] An underwater device, wherein the underwater device executes the steps in the underwater device positioning method.
[0011] The beneficial effects of the present invention include at least: providing a method and device for positioning underwater equipment, based on historical scene information, using unique identifier information to confirm the equipment orientation in the historical scene information, and realizing rapid positioning in a complex underwater environment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Figure 1 The figure is a flow chart of a method for positioning underwater equipment in an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] In order to explain the technical content, achieved objectives and effects of the present invention in detail, the following is an explanation in combination with the implementation modes and the accompanying drawings.
[0014] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "upper, lower, inside, outside, top, bottom" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, or are for the components themselves in the vertical, perpendicular or gravity direction, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.
[0015] Unless otherwise defined, the technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art of the technical field of the present application. The terms used herein are only for describing specific implementation purposes and are not intended to limit the present application. Terms such as "parts" and "components" appearing in this article may represent either a single part or a combination of multiple parts. Terms such as "installation", "setting", "connection" and the like appearing in this article should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it may represent that one component is directly attached to another component, or that one component is attached to another component through an intermediate, or it may be the internal connection of two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances. The features described in one embodiment herein may be applied to another embodiment alone or in combination with other features, unless the feature is not applicable in the other embodiment or otherwise specified.
[0016] Please refer to Figure 1 In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for positioning an underwater device includes the steps of: controlling the underwater device to obtain marker information of the current environment; judging whether the marker information is unique based on historical image information, and if the marker information is unique, controlling the underwater device to perform positioning according to the marker information.
[0017] It can be understood that in this positioning method, historical scene information refers to the environmental feature information obtained and saved when the underwater equipment was previously operated or deployed, and can also be environmental feature information transmitted through the platform. The historical scene feature information includes at least one or more of the following: (1) Marker feature information: refers to the specific features of the markers in the environment that can be used for positioning, such as shape, color, size, etc. This information helps the equipment to identify and distinguish different markers. (2) Marker quantity information: indicates the number of each marker appearing in the environment. (3) Marker arrangement order information: refers to the relative position and order of these markers in the environment, that is, the spatial relationship between the markers. (4) Historical map: It is a map of the entire environment generated based on the above-mentioned marker features and location information, which can help the device navigate and locate in future operations. This multi-dimensional historical scene information effectively enhances the device's memory ability and environmental perception ability, helps the device to quickly complete positioning in a known environment, and improves task efficiency.
[0018] In one possible implementation, historical scene information can be obtained by underwater equipment during a mission or gradually accumulated during multiple missions. The specific process is as follows: When the underwater equipment enters a new environment, the visual recognition module on the equipment (such as camera, multispectral imaging, sonar, etc.) begins to collect information about markers in the environment, including the feature information, quantity information and arrangement order of markers in space. The equipment continuously monitors the surrounding environment through these sensors, extracts key features using deep learning algorithms, and generates a preliminary map of the environment. These data will be stored to form the historical scene information of the equipment. In subsequent tasks, the underwater equipment can compare the newly collected marker information with the previously saved historical scene information, and further improve the historical scene information through continuous updating and optimization, so that the equipment can quickly locate and navigate when repeatedly entering similar environments. This way of acquiring and accumulating information ensures that the equipment can autonomously and efficiently locate in complex underwater environments.
[0019] Specifically, the marker information includes marker feature information and / or marker identification sequence information. In the process of underwater equipment acquiring marker information, not only the feature information of the marker itself is recorded, but also the identification sequence information of the marker is recorded, which enhances the flexibility and accuracy of the positioning system. Marker feature information can help the device quickly identify unique signs in the environment, while marker identification sequence information ensures that when multiple markers exist, the device can further confirm its own position through the relative order of the markers, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of positioning.
[0020] In a possible implementation, judging whether the marker information is unique based on the historical image information of the underwater equipment deployment specifically includes the following steps:
[0021] Acquire the marker feature information, and determine whether the marker feature information has a unique correspondence in the historical scene information. If there is a unique correspondence, control the underwater device to perform positioning according to the marker information; otherwise, control the underwater device to continue to obtain the next marker information. By performing positioning based on the unique correspondence between the marker feature information and the historical scene information, it can be ensured that the device only performs positioning operations when the marker information is unique, which avoids positioning confusion problems in similar environments. The device can autonomously determine whether the marker information is unique enough, thereby adjusting the positioning behavior according to the complexity of the environment, effectively improving the adaptability of the device and the stability of positioning.
[0022] In another optional implementation, judging whether the marker information is unique based on the historical image information of the underwater equipment deployment specifically includes the following steps:
[0023] Acquire the marker feature information and the marker identification sequence information. When two marker feature information are acquired continuously, determine whether the marker identification sequence information has a unique correspondence in the historical scene information based on the historical scene information of the underwater equipment deployment. If there is a unique correspondence, control the underwater equipment to perform positioning according to the marker information; otherwise, control the underwater equipment to continue to acquire the marker information. By combining the marker feature information and the marker identification sequence information, the present invention further enhances the positioning capability of the underwater equipment in complex environments. Even if multiple marker information is acquired continuously, the device can make uniqueness judgments based on their relative order and historical scene information, thereby avoiding the problem of identification confusion in the case of multiple markers and ensuring the accuracy of positioning, especially in underwater tasks with similar diverse environments.
[0024] In another possible implementation, judging whether the marker information is unique based on the historical image information of the underwater equipment deployment specifically includes the following steps:
[0025] Obtain the marker feature information and the marker recognition sequence information, and determine whether the marker feature information has a unique correspondence in the historical scene information. If so, control the underwater device to locate according to the marker information; otherwise, control the underwater device to continue to obtain the next marker information. In the case that the two consecutive marker feature information do not have a unique correspondence, determine whether the marker recognition sequence information has a unique correspondence in the historical scene information based on the historical scene information deployed by the underwater device. If so, control the underwater device to locate according to the marker information; otherwise, control the underwater device to continue to obtain the marker information. Based on the marker recognition sequence, in the case that the two consecutive marker feature information do not have a unique correspondence, determine whether the two marker recognition sequence information have a unique correspondence, which can reduce the amount of processing of the device for the marker information and the historical scene information, so that the underwater device can complete the positioning within a reasonable time.
[0026] Furthermore, controlling the underwater equipment to locate according to the marker information specifically comprises the steps of:
[0027] The underwater device is positioned according to the positional relationship of the marker information in the historical scene information. Compared with the traditional positioning method that relies solely on the current marker, the combination of historical scene information enables the device to use the existing environmental map and marker location information for more accurate navigation, reduces error accumulation, and improves the device's autonomous cruising capability.
[0028] In a second embodiment of the present invention, an underwater device is provided, wherein the underwater device performs the steps in the above-mentioned method for positioning an underwater device, which includes:
[0029] A visual recognition module is used to obtain information about markers in the current environment; specifically, the visual recognition module is a combination of hardware and software that can capture and process image data for analyzing and identifying object features. In underwater equipment, it helps the equipment obtain information about markers in the environment and assists in positioning. The visual recognition module may include a variety of sensors and algorithms to complete its functions. Including but not limited to the following implementations: using a camera module to capture real-time images of the underwater environment. Using a multispectral imaging module to capture light information of different bands (such as infrared, ultraviolet) for complex object recognition in underwater environments, especially in low light or turbid water bodies, to capture details that cannot be recognized by the human eye or ordinary cameras; using a sonar imaging module to generate images and environmental models of underwater objects by sending sound wave signals and receiving echoes. Since sound waves can penetrate turbid water bodies, the sonar module is very suitable for underwater environments with poor visibility. Specifically, at least part of the historical scene information is obtained through the visual recognition module.
[0030] A control module is used to determine whether the marker information is unique based on historical image information; and a positioning module is used to control the underwater equipment to locate according to the marker information when the marker information is unique.
[0031] In summary, the underwater equipment positioning method and the device of the present invention can achieve efficient and accurate positioning and navigation in a complex and changeable underwater environment. By utilizing the marker information in the environment and combining the historical scene information, the present invention effectively makes up for the limitations of the traditional underwater positioning method in the absence of GPS signals, and is particularly suitable for adverse conditions such as insufficient light, signal shielding and complex environment.
[0032] First, positioning is performed based on the uniqueness of the marker, effectively avoiding positioning confusion and errors. The reliability and accuracy of positioning are improved by dynamically judging the correspondence between the marker features and historical scene information. In addition, combined with the recognition sequence information of the marker, the device can continuously recognize multiple markers in a complex environment, further enhancing the robustness and stability of positioning.
[0033] Secondly, by applying the location information of markers in historical scene information, the device can use historical maps and the arrangement relationship of markers for precise positioning, reducing the impact of external interference, improving autonomous navigation capabilities, and reducing dependence on external navigation systems. This positioning method based on historical scene information enables the device to make full use of the data accumulated in previous tasks, quickly complete positioning in repeated or similar environments, and greatly improve the efficiency of task execution.
[0034] The integration of the visual recognition module further ensures that the device can obtain environmental information in real time and maintain efficient perception capabilities under different environmental conditions by combining multiple sensors (such as cameras, sonar, multispectral imaging, etc.). By integrating multiple visual data and intelligent recognition algorithms, the device can identify object features in different underwater environments and achieve stable positioning and navigation.
[0035] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for positioning underwater equipment, characterized in that: The method comprises the steps of: Control underwater equipment to obtain marker information of the current environment; Based on the historical scene information, it is determined whether the marker information is unique. If the marker information is unique, the underwater equipment is controlled to perform positioning according to the marker information.
2. A method for positioning underwater equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The identifier information includes identifier feature information and / or identifier recognition sequence information.
3. A method for positioning underwater equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: Based on the historical scene information of the underwater equipment deployment, judging whether the marker information is unique specifically includes the steps of: The characteristic information of the marker is obtained, and it is determined whether the characteristic information of the marker has a unique correspondence in the historical scene information. If there is a unique correspondence, the underwater device is controlled to perform positioning according to the marker information; otherwise, the underwater device is controlled to continue to obtain the marker information.
4. A method for positioning underwater equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: Based on the historical scene information of the underwater equipment deployment, judging whether the marker information is unique specifically includes the steps of: Acquire the marker characteristic information and the marker recognition sequence information. When two marker characteristic information are acquired successively, determine whether the marker recognition sequence information has a unique correspondence in the historical scene information based on the historical scene information of the underwater equipment deployment. If there is a unique correspondence, control the underwater equipment to locate according to the marker information; otherwise, control the underwater equipment to continue acquiring the marker information.
5. The method for positioning underwater equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: Controlling the underwater equipment to locate according to the marker information specifically includes the following steps: The underwater equipment is positioned according to the positional relationship of the marker information in the historical scene information.
6. A method for positioning underwater equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The underwater equipment includes at least one visual recognition module, and the visual recognition module is used to obtain the marker information and the historical scene information.
7. The method for positioning underwater equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The historical scene information includes at least the feature information of the markers of the historical environment, the number of markers, the arrangement order of the markers, and the historical map.
8. An underwater device, characterized in that: The underwater device executes the steps in the underwater device positioning method described in any one of claims 1-7.
9. An underwater device according to claim 8, characterized in that: include: Visual recognition module, used to obtain the marker information of the current environment; A control module, used for determining whether the identifier information is unique based on the historical image information; And, a positioning module controls the underwater equipment to perform positioning according to the marker information when the marker information is unique.
10. The underwater device according to claim 9, characterized in that: At least part of the historical scene information is obtained through the visual recognition module.