Electronic device and Method for controlling the electronic device thereof
Patent Information
- Application Number
- KR1020200014085
- Authority / Receiving Office
- KR · KR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2020-02-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-09
- Estimated Expiration
- 2040-02-06
Smart Images

Figure 112020012445653-PAT00001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technology Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method for controlling the same, and more specifically, to an electronic device and a method for controlling the same that acquires the position of the electronic device using a magnetic field sensor and a lidar sensor. Background Technology
[0002] Previously, a technique using LiDAR sensors to perform Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) was utilized to estimate the position of electronic devices, such as mobile robots. However, there was a limitation in that high complexity occurred because estimating the position of an electronic device by performing SLAM using only LiDAR sensors required searching for every position and angle on the LiDAR map using the LiDAR sensors.
[0003] Accordingly, there is an increasing demand for SLAM that estimates the position of electronic devices by using other sensors together with LiDAR sensors. The problem to be solved
[0004] The present disclosure has been devised in accordance with the aforementioned necessity, and the present disclosure provides an electronic device and a method for controlling the same that acquire the position of an electronic device through geomagnetic information acquired from a geomagnetic sensor and a lidar sensor. means of solving the problem
[0005] A control method for an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure for achieving the above objective comprises: a step of acquiring a LiDAR map for estimating the position of the electronic device; a step of acquiring geomagnetic information around the electronic device using a geomagnetic sensor when an event for acquiring the position of the electronic device occurs; a step of identifying the direction of the electronic device based on the acquired geomagnetic information; and a step of acquiring the position of the electronic device in the LiDAR map through the identified direction and the LiDAR sensor.
[0006] Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device comprises: a memory storing at least one instruction; and a processor that controls the electronic device by executing at least one instruction stored in the memory. The processor acquires a LiDAR map for estimating the position of the electronic device, and when an event occurs for acquiring the position of the electronic device, acquires geomagnetic information around the electronic device using a geomagnetic sensor, identifies the direction of the electronic device based on the acquired geomagnetic information, and acquires the position of the electronic device in the LiDAR map through the identified direction and the LiDAR sensor. Effects of the invention
[0007] As described above, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device can estimate the position of the electronic device quickly and with less complexity when performing LiDAR-based SLAM by utilizing geomagnetic information acquired from a geomagnetic sensor. Brief explanation of the drawing
[0008] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2a is a simplified diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2b is a block diagram illustrating in detail the configuration of an electronic device (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3a is a drawing showing a geomagnetic map indicating geomagnetic magnitude information according to one embodiment. FIG. 3b is a drawing showing a geomagnetic map indicating geomagnetic direction information according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the position of an electronic device on a lidar map using a geomagnetic map according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a method for obtaining the current location of an electronic device when the recent location of the electronic device is stored in advance, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling an electronic device according to the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for obtaining the position of an electronic device using a geomagnetic map further according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention
[0009] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates the alignment of an electronic device (100) in a LiDAR map (10) for estimating the location of an electronic device. The electronic device (100) according to the present disclosure may be a mobile robot device and may be implemented as various robots, such as a robot that performs tasks such as cleaning, air purification, and security while moving within a building space, a household robot that performs household tasks while moving within a home space, or a military robot that is deployed to perform tasks in dangerous areas inaccessible to humans. However, it is not limited thereto, and the electronic device (100) according to the present disclosure may be implemented as various types of electronic devices such as wireless terminals, smartphones, automobiles, and drones.
[0012] The electronic device (100) can obtain the location of the electronic device (100) based on the results of scanning the surroundings of the electronic device (100) using a LiDAR sensor (Light Detection And Ranging Sensor). Specifically, the electronic device (100) can obtain a LiDAR map (10) for the area where the electronic device (100) intends to move through the LiDAR sensor. However, it is not limited thereto, and the electronic device (100) may also obtain a LiDAR map by receiving a LiDAR map for the area where the electronic device (100) intends to move from an external server.
[0013] The LiDAR map (10) is a map required to perform SLAM (Simultaneous localization and mapping) using a LiDAR sensor, and the electronic device (100) can obtain the position of the electronic device (100) in the LiDAR map (10) as a result of performing SLAM (Simultaneous localization and mapping) through the LiDAR sensor. In addition, SLAM (Simultaneous localization and mapping) is a technique for estimating a map of a space and the current position of an electronic device that can explore its surroundings while moving through an arbitrary space.
[0014] After the LiDAR map (10) is acquired, an event may occur to acquire the location of the electronic device. The event to acquire the location of the electronic device according to the present disclosure may include a first event of turning the power of the electronic device off and then on again, a second event in which a user picks up the electronic device and moves it to a different location, a third event in which there is a large difference between the map initially acquired and the currently scanned map due to many environmental changes around the electronic device, a fourth event in which the location of the electronic device is lost while driving, and a fifth event in which scanning becomes impossible because the electronic device is surrounded by people. However, it is not limited thereto, and may further include various events for estimating the location of the electronic device.
[0015] When a LiDAR map is acquired and an event occurs to acquire the location of an electronic device, the electronic device (100) can acquire geomagnetic information around the electronic device (100) using a geomagnetic sensor included in the electronic device (100).
[0016] A geomagnetic sensor is a sensor for measuring geomagnetic values around a sensor and may be included in an electronic device (100). The geomagnetic sensor according to the present disclosure may be an IMU sensor, but is not limited thereto and may include various sensors capable of measuring geomagnetic values. Furthermore, geomagnetic information according to the present disclosure may be obtained based on geomagnetic values measured by a geomagnetic sensor. For example, the geomagnetic information may include information regarding the geomagnetic direction around the electronic device (100) and information regarding the magnitude of the geomagnetic field around the electronic device (100).
[0017] And, when geomagnetic information is acquired, the electronic device (100) can identify the direction of the electronic device based on the geomagnetic information. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic device (100) can identify the direction of the electronic device through information regarding the geomagnetic direction included in the geomagnetic information. Specifically, the true north direction can be identified using information regarding the geomagnetic direction. Then, the direction of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map (10) can be identified by matching the identified true north direction with the true north direction in the acquired lidar map (10). For example, referring to FIG. 1, the electronic device (100) can identify that the true north direction is -45 degrees from the direction in which the electronic device is moving (the direction in which the front is facing) through geomagnetic information around the electronic device (100). And, the electronic device (100) can identify that the direction of the electronic device (100) is +45 degrees relative to the true north direction in the lidar map (10) by aligning the true north direction identified through geomagnetic information with the true north direction in the lidar map (10).
[0018] When the direction of the electronic device (100) is identified, the electronic device (100) can obtain the location of the electronic device in the LiDAR map (10) through the identified direction and the LiDAR sensor. In one embodiment according to the present disclosure, the location of the electronic device can be obtained by performing a search using the LiDAR sensor first for a direction within a preset range radius from the identified direction. The preset range radius according to the present disclosure may be a radius of ±20 degrees from the identified direction, and with reference to FIG. 1, the electronic device (100) can first search between 25 degrees and 65 degrees relative to the true north direction within the LiDAR map (10) using the LiDAR sensor.
[0019] When the location of the electronic device in the LiDAR map (10) is obtained as a result of using the LiDAR sensor for the direction of the pre-set range radius, the electronic device (100) can stop searching.
[0020] However, if the location of the electronic device in the LiDAR map (10) is not obtained as a result of using the LiDAR sensor in the direction of the pre-set range radius, the electronic device (100) can obtain the location of the electronic device (100) by performing a search using the LiDAR sensor in the 360-degree direction. However, it is not limited thereto, and if the location of the electronic device in the LiDAR map (10) is not obtained as a result of using the LiDAR sensor in the direction of the pre-set range radius, the electronic device (100) can perform a search by gradually increasing the pre-set range radius.
[0021] Through the above-described embodiments, the electronic device (100) can acquire the position of the electronic device faster and with less complexity than before by utilizing geomagnetic direction information more when performing SLAM using a lidar sensor.
[0023] FIG. 2a is a simplified diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device (100) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2a, the electronic device (100) may include a memory (110), a lidar sensor (120), a geomagnetic sensor (130), and a processor (140). Meanwhile, the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2a is an illustrative diagram for implementing embodiments of the present disclosure, and appropriate hardware and software configurations that are obvious to a person skilled in the art may be additionally included in the electronic device (100).
[0024] The memory (110) can store instructions or data related to at least one other component of the mobile robot device (100). An instruction is an action statement for the processor (110) in a programming language and is the smallest unit of a program that the processor (140) can directly execute. In one embodiment, the memory (110) may be implemented as non-volatile memory, volatile memory, flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid-state drive (SSD). The memory (110) is accessed by the processor (140), and read / write / modify / delete / update data by the processor (110) may be performed. In the present disclosure, the term "memory" may include memory (110), ROM (not shown) or RAM (not shown) within a processor (140), or a memory card (not shown) mounted in an electronic device (100) (e.g., micro SD card, memory stick). Additionally, the memory (110) may store programs and data, etc., for configuring various screens to be displayed in the display area of a display (160).
[0025] In particular, a LiDAR map can be stored in the memory (110). Additionally, the LiDAR map stored in the memory (110) can be updated and stored through the LiDAR sensor (120).
[0026] Additionally, geomagnetic information for identifying the direction or location of an electronic device may be stored in the memory (110). Furthermore, information regarding the direction of a preset range radius (e.g., +_20 degrees from the identification direction) and information regarding the location of a preset range radius (e.g., +_1 m from the identified location) for setting the search radius of a LiDAR sensor may be stored in the memory (110). Meanwhile, the information regarding the location of the preset range radius and the information regarding the direction of the preset range radius stored in the memory (110) may be changed by user input.
[0027] A LiDAR sensor (120) is a sensor capable of obtaining information regarding physical characteristics related to a target object (such as the position and orientation of the electronic device (100), the distance and orientation between the electronic device (100) and the target object, the shape and movement speed of the target object, etc.) by using changes in the time taken for a scattered or reflected laser pulse to return from a target device, the intensity, frequency, and polarization state of the scattered or reflected laser. Specifically, the electronic device (100) can obtain a LiDAR map by scanning the surroundings of a mobile robot device (100) using the LiDAR sensor (120). The LiDAR map is a map that can be obtained using information regarding the physical characteristics of the electronic device obtained using the laser pulse of the LiDAR sensor (120). Additionally, the electronic device (100) can obtain information regarding the position of the electronic device (100) in the LiDAR map by performing SLAM using the LiDAR sensor (120).
[0028] The geomagnetic sensor (130) is a sensor for detecting geomagnetic values, and through the geomagnetic sensor, information regarding the geomagnetic direction and geomagnetic magnitude around the geomagnetic sensor (130) can be obtained. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the geomagnetic sensor (130) may be implemented in the form of an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) sensor. However, it is not limited thereto and may be implemented as various sensors capable of measuring geomagnetic values.
[0029] The processor (140) is electrically connected to the memory (110) and can control the overall operation and function of the electronic device (100). In particular, the processor (140) can acquire a LiDAR map to estimate the location of the electronic device (100). In one embodiment, the LiDAR map can be acquired using information about physical characteristics acquired through the LiDAR sensor (120) of the electronic device (100). However, it is not limited thereto, and the processor (140) can acquire the LiDAR map by receiving a LiDAR map for the current area from another external device. That is, if a LiDAR map generated by another external device exists, the processor (140) can acquire the LiDAR map by receiving the LiDAR map generated by the other external device.
[0030] And, when an event occurs to acquire the location of an electronic device, the processor (140) can acquire geomagnetic information around the electronic device (100) using a geomagnetic sensor (130). The event to acquire the location of an electronic device may include the first to fifth events described in FIG. 1, but is not limited thereto, and may further include various events for estimating the location of the electronic device.
[0031] Additionally, geomagnetic information according to the present disclosure can be obtained based on geomagnetic values measured by a geomagnetic sensor. For example, the geomagnetic information may include information about the geomagnetic direction around the electronic device (100) and information about the magnitude of the geomagnetic field around the electronic device (100).
[0032] And, when geomagnetic information is acquired, the processor (140) can identify the direction of the electronic device based on the geomagnetic information. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor (140) can identify the direction of the electronic device through information regarding the geomagnetic direction included in the geomagnetic information. Specifically, the true north direction can be identified using information regarding the geomagnetic direction. Then, the direction of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map can be identified by matching the identified true north direction with the true north direction in the acquired lidar map. Then, the electronic device (100) can identify the direction of the electronic device (100) within the lidar map by aligning the true north direction identified through the geomagnetic information with the true north direction in the lidar map (10).
[0033] When the direction of the electronic device (100) is identified, the processor (140) can obtain the location of the electronic device in the LiDAR map through the identified direction and the LiDAR sensor. In one embodiment according to the present disclosure, the location of the electronic device can be obtained by performing a search using the LiDAR sensor first for a direction within a preset range radius from the identified direction. The preset range radius according to the present disclosure may be a radius of ±20 degrees from the identified direction, and the electronic device (100) can prioritize searching a radius range between 25 degrees and 65 degrees relative to the identified direction within the LiDAR map using the LiDAR sensor.
[0034] When the location of the electronic device in the lidar map is obtained as a result of using the lidar sensor for the direction of the pre-set range radius, the processor (140) can stop searching.
[0035] However, if the location of the electronic device in the LiDAR map is not obtained as a result of using the LiDAR sensor in the direction of the pre-set range radius, the processor (140) can obtain the location of the electronic device (100) by performing a search using the LiDAR sensor in the 360-degree direction. However, it is not limited thereto, but if the location of the electronic device in the LiDAR map is not obtained as a result of using the LiDAR sensor in the direction of the pre-set range radius, the processor (140) can perform a search by gradually increasing the pre-set range radius.
[0036] When the recent location of the electronic device (100) is stored in advance, if an event occurs to acquire the location of the electronic device (100), the processor (140) can identify the first estimated location of the electronic device in the LiDAR map using at least one of an IMU sensor and a Wheel encoder. Then, the processor (140) can acquire the location of the electronic device (100) in the LiDAR map by performing a search through the LiDAR sensor using the first estimated location and the direction of the identified electronic device (100). The IMU sensor is an inertial measurement sensor and can be implemented as an accelerometer, an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and an altimeter sensor. The Wheel encoder
[0037] The recent position of the electronic device (100) is stored in memory (110), and in order to obtain the current position of the electronic device (100), the electronic device (100) can use an IMU sensor or a Wheel Encoder to first estimate the position of the electronic device (100) based on the recent position of the electronic device (100). Specifically, when an IMU sensor is used, the acceleration and angular velocity of the electronic device are obtained from the IMU sensor, and the first estimated position of the electronic device (100) can be identified through a method of integrating the obtained acceleration and angular velocity. When a Wheel Encoder is used, the first estimated position of the electronic device (100) can be identified based on information regarding the trajectory of the electronic device (100) obtained through the Wheel Encoder.
[0038] And, the electronic device (100) can obtain the position of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map by first performing a search through the lidar sensor for the vicinity of the identified first estimated position.
[0039] Additionally, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor (140) can perform a search using a lidar sensor by using together the identified first estimated position and the direction of the electronic device identified through a geomagnetic sensor. Specifically, the processor (140) can obtain the position of the electronic device (100) by performing a search using a lidar sensor first for a position within a preset range radius (e.g., 1 m) from the first estimated position obtained through at least one of an IMU sensor and a Wheel encoder, and for a direction within a preset range radius (e.g., +20 degrees) from the direction of the identified electronic device.
[0040] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor (140) may obtain the location of the electronic device (100) by further utilizing a geomagnetic map. The processor (140) may obtain a geomagnetic map of the area around the electronic device by utilizing a geomagnetic sensor. A geomagnetic map is a map that displays geomagnetic magnitude information and geomagnetic direction information for a certain area. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (100) may move to an area where a geomagnetic map is to be generated and obtain a geomagnetic map using the geomagnetic sensor (130) of the electronic device (100). However, it is not limited thereto, and the geomagnetic map may be received from an external device that has a geomagnetic map stored therein.
[0041] The processor (140) can identify the direction of the electronic device and at least one second estimated location by matching the geomagnetic magnitude information and direction information included in the geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic information around the electronic device (100) obtained through the geomagnetic sensor (130).
[0042] FIG. 3a is a diagram showing a geomagnetic map representing geomagnetic magnitude information according to one embodiment, and through the geomagnetic map of FIG. 3a, geomagnetic magnitude information for an area included in the map can be identified. Specifically, at least one third estimated location of an electronic device (100) can be identified by matching the geomagnetic magnitude information included in the geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic magnitude information included in the geomagnetic information obtained through the geomagnetic sensor (130). For example, if the geomagnetic magnitude around the electronic device (100) obtained through the geomagnetic sensor (130) is AT (tesla), the processor (140) can identify the area where the geomagnetic magnitude is AT (tesla) in the geomagnetic map as the third estimated location. However, it is not limited thereto, and a location within a preset range (e.g., 1m) from a location where the geomagnetic magnitude is AT (tesla) can be identified as the third estimated location.
[0043] And, the processor (140) can identify at least one second estimated location of the electronic device (100) and identify the direction of the electronic device by matching the geomagnetic direction information included in the geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic direction information included in the geomagnetic information obtained through the geomagnetic sensor (130). FIG. 3b is a diagram showing a geomagnetic map representing geomagnetic direction information according to one embodiment, and through the geomagnetic map of FIG. 3b, geomagnetic direction information for the area included in the map can be identified. For example, if the geomagnetic direction around the electronic device (100) obtained through the geomagnetic sensor (130) is B rad (radian), the processor (140) can identify an area where the geomagnetic direction is B rad (radian) within the area identified as the third estimated location as the second estimated location. That is, the processor (140) can identify at least one location among the identified third estimated locations as the second estimated location. However, not limited thereto, an area where the direction of the geomagnetic field is B rad (radian) can be identified as a second estimated location within the entire geomagnetic map area. Additionally, as an example, a location within a preset range (e.g., 1m) from a location where the direction of the geomagnetic field is B rad (radian) can be identified as a second estimated location.
[0044] When the second estimated location and the direction of the electronic device (100) are identified, the processor (140) can obtain the location of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map using the identified second estimated location and the direction of the electronic device (100) and the lidar sensor (120). In one embodiment, the processor (140) can obtain the location of the electronic device in the lidar map using the lidar sensor for a location with a preset range radius (e.g., 1 m) from the second estimated location and a direction with a preset range radius (e.g., 20 degrees) from the direction of the identified electronic device (100). If, as a result of using a lidar sensor for a position of a preset range radius (e.g., 1 m) from a second estimated position and a direction of a preset range radius (e.g., 20 degrees) from the direction of the identified electronic device (100), the position of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map is not identified, the processor (140) can obtain the position of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map by using a lidar sensor for the entire area of the lidar map and a 360-degree direction.
[0045] Meanwhile, the processor (140) may include or be defined by one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), a Micro Controller Unit (MCU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a controller, an application processor (AP), a communication processor (CP), or an ARM processor that processes digital signals. Additionally, the processor (140) may be implemented as a System on Chip (SoC) or Large Scale Integration (LSI) with built-in processing algorithms, or as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The processor (140) can perform various functions by executing computer executable instructions stored in memory (130).
[0047] FIG. 2b is a block diagram illustrating in detail the configuration of an electronic device (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, FIG. 2b may be a block diagram for the case where the electronic device (100) is a mobile robot device. The electronic device (100) may include a memory (110), a LiDAR sensor (120), a geomagnetic sensor (130), a processor (140), a communication unit (150), an input unit (160), a driving unit (170), a battery (180), a display (190), and a wheel encoder (195).
[0048] The communication unit (150) can communicate with external devices and external servers through various communication methods. Communication connection between the communication unit (150) and external devices and external servers may include communication via a third device (e.g., a repeater, a hub, an access point, a gateway, etc.).
[0049] Meanwhile, the communication unit (150) may include various communication modules to perform communication with an external device. For example, the communication unit (150) may include a wireless communication module, and may include a cellular communication module using at least one of, for example, LTE, LTE-A (LTE Advance), CDMA (code division multiple access), WCDMA (wideband CDMA), UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system), WiBro (Wireless Broadband), or GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). As another example, the wireless communication module may include at least one of, for example, WiFi (wireless fidelity), Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and Zigbee. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor (140) may receive a LiDAR map or a geomagnetic map from an external device or an external server through the communication unit (150) and store it in memory (110).
[0050] The input unit (160) can receive various user inputs and transmit them to the processor (140). In particular, the input unit (160) may include a touch sensor, a (digital) pen sensor, a pressure sensor, and a key. The touch sensor may use at least one of, for example, capacitive, pressure-sensitive, infrared, or ultrasonic methods. In particular, when a user command to change information regarding the radius and position of a preset range according to the present disclosure is input, the input unit (160) can receive a signal containing the user command and transmit it to the processor (140).
[0051] The driving unit (170) is configured to move the electronic device (100) by control of the processor (140) and may include a motor and a plurality of wheels. Specifically, the driving unit (170) may change the direction of movement and the speed of movement of the electronic device (100) by control of the processor (140). In addition, as an example embodiment, a wheel encoder (195) may be included in the driving unit (170).
[0052] The battery (180) is configured to supply power to the electronic device (100), and the battery (180) can be charged by a charging station. In one embodiment, the battery (180) may include a receiving resonator for wireless charging. In one embodiment, the charging method of the battery (180) may be a CCCV (Constant Current Constant Voltage) charging method in which a preset capacity is rapidly charged through a CC (Constant Current) charging method and the remaining capacity is charged through a CV (Constant Voltage) method, but is not limited thereto and may be charged in various ways.
[0053] The display (190) can display various information under the control of the processor (140). In particular, the display (190) can display a LiDAR map obtained through the LiDAR sensor (120) and a geomagnetic map obtained through the geomagnetic map (130) under the control of the processor (140).
[0054] Additionally, the display (190) can display a UI that can change information about the radius and position of a preset range by controlling the processor (140).
[0055] Additionally, the display (190) may be implemented as a touch screen along with a touch panel. However, it is not limited to the implementation described above, and the display (190) may be implemented differently depending on the type of electronic device (100).
[0057] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the position of an electronic device on a lidar map using a geomagnetic map according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0058] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a lidar map around an electronic device. According to one embodiment, the electronic device can obtain a third estimated position (20) and a second estimated position (30) of the electronic device from the lidar map (10) by using a geomagnetic map.
[0059] Specifically, when the electronic device acquires a geomagnetic map around the electronic device, it can match the geomagnetic magnitude information included in the geomagnetic map, such as in FIG. 3a, with the geomagnetic magnitude information at the current electronic device location acquired through a geomagnetic sensor. As a result of the matching, an area having the same magnitude as the geomagnetic magnitude information at the current electronic device location acquired through the geomagnetic sensor can be identified in the geomagnetic map, and the area identified in the geomagnetic map can be matched to the LiDAR map (10) to identify the third estimated location (20) of the electronic device in the LiDAR map (10). That is, the third estimated location (20) of FIG. 4 can represent an area where the geomagnetic magnitude information measured at the current location of the electronic device matches the magnitude information in the geomagnetic map. Additionally, only the area where the geomagnetic magnitude information obtained through the geomagnetic sensor and the geomagnetic magnitude information shown on the geomagnetic map are the same can be identified as the third estimated location (20), but is not limited thereto, and an area within a pre-set range radius (e.g., 1m) where the geomagnetic magnitude information obtained through the geomagnetic sensor and the geomagnetic magnitude information shown on the geomagnetic map are the same can be identified as the third estimated location (20).
[0060] Additionally, the electronic device can match geomagnetic direction information included in a geomagnetic map such as FIG. 3b with geomagnetic direction information at the current electronic device location obtained through a geomagnetic sensor. As a result of the matching, a zone having the same direction as the geomagnetic direction information at the current electronic device location obtained through a geomagnetic sensor within the third estimated location (20) can be identified in the geomagnetic map, and the zone identified in the geomagnetic map can be matched to the LiDAR map (10) to identify the second estimated location (30) of the electronic device in the LiDAR map (10). That is, the second estimated location (30) of FIG. 4 can represent a zone where the geomagnetic direction information measured at the current location of the electronic device within the third estimated location (20) matches the direction information in the geomagnetic map. Additionally, only areas where the geomagnetic direction information obtained through the geomagnetic sensor and the geomagnetic direction information shown on the geomagnetic map are the same can be identified as the second estimated location (30), but are not limited thereto, and areas within the same area where the geomagnetic direction information obtained through the geomagnetic sensor and the geomagnetic direction information shown on the geomagnetic map are the same can be identified as the second estimated location (20) within a pre-set range radius (e.g., 0.5m).
[0061] And, based on the identified second estimated position (20) and the direction of the electronic device identified through the geomagnetic sensor, the electronic device can obtain the position of the electronic device in the lidar map (10) through the lidar sensor. That is, the position of the electronic device within the second estimated position (20) can be obtained by using the lidar sensor preferentially for the direction of a preset range radius (e.g., 20 degrees) from the second estimated position (20) and the direction of the identified electronic device.
[0063] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining a method for obtaining the current location of an electronic device when the recent location of the electronic device is stored in advance, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0064] Referring to FIG. 5, if the electronic device loses its current position while performing SLAM through a LiDAR sensor, it can acquire the current position of the electronic device using at least one of an IMU sensor and a wheel encoder and a geomagnetic sensor. The IMU sensor is an inertial measurement sensor and can be implemented as an accelerometer, an angular velocity sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and an altimeter. The wheel encoder
[0065] When the recent location (40) of the electronic device (100) is stored in memory, in order to obtain the current location of the electronic device (100), the electronic device (100) can use an IMU sensor or a Wheel encoder to first estimate the location of the electronic device (100) based on the recent location (40) of the electronic device (100). That is, the electronic device (100) can identify the first estimated location (50) of the electronic device (100) using an IMU sensor or a Wheel encoder based on the recent location (40) stored in memory. In one embodiment, when an IMU sensor is used, the acceleration and angular velocity of the electronic device are obtained from the IMU sensor, and the first estimated location of the electronic device (100) can be identified through a method of integrating the obtained acceleration and angular velocity. When a wheel encoder is used, a first estimated position of the electronic device (100) can be identified based on information about the trajectory of the electronic device (100) obtained through the wheel encoder.
[0066] And, the electronic device (100) can obtain the position of the electronic device (100) by using a lidar sensor, primarily with respect to the first estimated position (50) and the direction of the electronic device identified through a geomagnetic sensor. Specifically, the electronic device (100) can obtain the position of the electronic device (100) by performing a search through a lidar sensor, primarily with respect to the position of a pre-set range radius (e.g., 1 m) from the first estimated position (50) obtained through at least one of an IMU sensor and a wheel encoder, and the direction of a pre-set range radius (e.g., 20 degrees) from the direction of the identified electronic device.
[0068] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling an electronic device according to the present disclosure.
[0069] Referring to FIG. 6, the electronic device (100) can obtain a LiDAR map to estimate the location of the electronic device (100) (S610). The electronic device (100) can obtain the location of the electronic device (100) based on the results of scanning the surroundings of the electronic device (100) using a LiDAR sensor. Specifically, the electronic device (100) can obtain a LiDAR map of the area where the electronic device (100) intends to move through the LiDAR sensor. However, it is not limited thereto, and the electronic device (100) may also obtain a LiDAR map by receiving a LiDAR map of the area where the electronic device (100) intends to move from an external server.
[0070] And, the electronic device (100) may acquire an event for acquiring the location of the electronic device (100) (S620). The event for acquiring the location of the electronic device according to the present disclosure may include a first event of turning the power of the electronic device off and then on again, a second event of the user lifting the electronic device and moving it to a different location, a third event in which there is a large difference between the map initially acquired and the currently scanned map due to many environmental changes around the electronic device, a fourth event in which the location is lost while the electronic device is moving, and a fifth event in which scanning becomes impossible because the electronic device is surrounded by people. However, it is not limited thereto, and may further include various events for the electronic device to estimate its location.
[0071] When a LiDAR map is acquired and an event occurs to acquire the location of an electronic device, the electronic device (100) can acquire geomagnetic information around the electronic device (100) using a geomagnetic sensor included in the electronic device (100) (S630). The geomagnetic sensor is a sensor for measuring geomagnetic values around the sensor and may be included in the electronic device (100).
[0072] And, when geomagnetic information is acquired, the electronic device (100) can identify the direction of the electronic device based on the geomagnetic information (S640). In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can identify the direction of the electronic device through information regarding the geomagnetic direction included in the geomagnetic information. Specifically, the true north direction can be identified using information regarding the geomagnetic direction. Then, the identified true north direction can be matched with the true north direction in the acquired lidar map (10) to identify the direction of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map (10).
[0073] When the direction of the electronic device (100) is identified, the electronic device (100) can obtain the location of the electronic device in the lidar map (10) through the identified direction and the lidar sensor (S650). In one embodiment according to the present disclosure, the location of the electronic device can be obtained by first performing a search using the lidar sensor for a direction within a preset range radius from the identified direction.
[0075] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for obtaining the position of an electronic device using a geomagnetic map further according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0076] Referring to FIG. 7, the electronic device (100) can obtain a lidar map for estimating the position of the electronic device (100) (S710). Specifically, the electronic device (100) can obtain a lidar map for the area where the electronic device (100) intends to move through a lidar sensor. However, it is not limited thereto, and the electronic device (100) may also obtain a lidar map by receiving a lidar map for the area where the electronic device (100) intends to move from an external server.
[0077] Additionally, the electronic device (100) can acquire a geomagnetic map of the area around the electronic device using a geomagnetic sensor (S720). A geomagnetic map is a map that displays geomagnetic magnitude information and geomagnetic direction information for a certain area. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (100) moves to an area where a geomagnetic map is to be generated and can acquire a geomagnetic map using the geomagnetic sensor (130) of the electronic device (100). However, it is not limited thereto, and a geomagnetic map can be received from an external device that has a geomagnetic map stored therein.
[0078] And, the electronic device (100) can acquire an event to acquire the location of the electronic device (100) (S730). When an event to acquire the location of the electronic device (100) occurs, the electronic device (100) can acquire geomagnetic information around the electronic device (100) using a geomagnetic sensor included in the electronic device (100) (S740). The geomagnetic sensor is a sensor for measuring geomagnetic values around the sensor and may be included in the electronic device (100).
[0079] And, the electronic device (100) can identify the direction of the electronic device (100) and at least one second estimated location by matching the geomagnetic magnitude information and direction information included in the geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic information (S750). Specifically, the electronic device (100) can identify at least one third estimated location of the electronic device (100) by matching the geomagnetic magnitude information included in the geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic magnitude information included in the geomagnetic information obtained through the geomagnetic sensor. And, the electronic device (100) can identify at least one second estimated location of the electronic device (100) and identify the direction of the electronic device by matching the geomagnetic direction information included in the geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic direction information included in the geomagnetic information obtained through the geomagnetic sensor. In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can identify at least one location among the identified third estimated locations as the second estimated location.
[0080] When the second estimated location and the direction of the electronic device (100) are identified, the electronic device (100) can obtain the location of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map using the identified second estimated location, the direction of the electronic device (100), and the lidar sensor (S760). In one embodiment, the electronic device (100) can obtain the location of the electronic device in the lidar map using the lidar sensor for a location with a preset range radius (e.g., 1 m) from the second estimated location and a direction with a preset range radius (e.g., 20 degrees) from the direction of the identified electronic device (100). If, as a result of using a lidar sensor for a position of a preset range radius (e.g., 1 m) from a second estimated position and a direction of a preset range radius (e.g., 20 degrees) from the direction of the identified electronic device (100), the position of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map is not identified, the processor (140) can obtain the position of the electronic device (100) in the lidar map by using a lidar sensor for the entire area of the lidar map and a 360-degree direction.
[0081] As described above, various embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated with reference to the drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the technology of the present disclosure to specific embodiments and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives to the embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0082] In the present disclosure, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “include,” or “may include” indicate the presence of such features (e.g., numerical values, functions, actions, or components such as parts) and do not exclude the presence of additional features.
[0083] In the present disclosure, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or / and B,” or “one or more of A or / and B” may include all possible combinations of items listed together. For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” may refer to cases including (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) both at least one A and at least one B.
[0084] Expressions such as “first,” “second,” “first,” or “second” used in this disclosure may modify various components regardless of order and / or importance, and are used only to distinguish one component from another and do not limit said components. For example, a first user device and a second user device may represent different user devices regardless of order or importance. For example, without departing from the scope of rights described in this disclosure, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, a second component may be renamed a first component.
[0085] Terms such as "module," "unit," and "part" as used in this disclosure are used to refer to a component that performs at least one function or operation, and such a component may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software. Additionally, a plurality of "modules," "units," and "parts" may be integrated into at least one module or chip and implemented as at least one processor, except where each needs to be implemented in specific individual hardware. Furthermore, the term "user" may refer to a person using an electronic device or a device using an electronic device (e.g., an artificial intelligence electronic device).
[0086] When it is stated that a component (e.g., a first component) is "(operatively or communicatively) coupled with" or "connected to" another component (e.g., a second component), it should be understood that the component may be directly connected to the other component or connected through another component (e.g., a third component). On the other hand, when it is stated that a component (e.g., a first component) is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), it may be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between the component and the other component.
[0087] As used in this disclosure, the expression “configured to” may be replaced, depending on the context, with, for example, “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” “designed to,” “adapted to,” “made to,” or “capable of.” The term “configured to” may not necessarily mean only “specifically designed to” in hardware. Instead, in some contexts, the expression “device configured to” may mean that the device is “capable of” in conjunction with other devices or components. For example, the phrase “processor configured to perform A, B, and C” may mean a dedicated processor for performing the said operations (e.g., an embedded processor), or a generic-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or an application processor) capable of performing said operations by executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device.
[0088] The terms used in this disclosure are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of other embodiments. A singular expression may include a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, may have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art described in this disclosure. Terms used in this disclosure that are defined in a general dictionary may be interpreted as having the same or similar meaning as they have in the context of the relevant technology, and are not to be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this disclosure. In some cases, even terms defined in this disclosure are not to be interpreted to exclude the embodiments of this disclosure.
[0089] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as software comprising instructions stored on a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., a computer). The machine may include an electronic device (e.g., an electronic device (100)) according to the disclosed embodiments, which is a device capable of calling instructions stored from the storage medium and operating according to the called instructions. When instructions are executed by a processor, the processor may perform a function corresponding to the instructions directly or using other components under the control of said processor. Instructions may include code generated or executed by a compiler or an interpreter.
[0090] A device-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory storage medium' simply means that it is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and does not distinguish whether data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium. For example, a 'non-transitory storage medium' may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.
[0091] Each component (e.g., module or program) according to various embodiments may be composed of a singular or multiple entities, and some of the aforementioned sub-components may be omitted, or other sub-components may be additionally included in various embodiments. Generally or additionally, some components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single entity to perform the functions performed by each of the respective components prior to integration in the same or similar manner. The operations performed by the module, program, or other components according to various embodiments may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or at least some operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or other operations added.
[0092] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)) or an application store (e.g., Play Store). TMIt can be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through ) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.
[0093] Furthermore, although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. It is understood that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essence of the present disclosure as claimed in the claims, and such modifications should not be understood individually from the technical spirit or perspective of the present disclosure. Explanation of the symbols
[0095] 100: Electronic device 110: Memory 120: LiDAR sensor 130: Geomagnetic sensor
Claims
Claim 1 A method for controlling an electronic device traveling in space comprises: a step of acquiring a LiDAR map of the space for estimating the position of the electronic device; a step of acquiring geomagnetic information around the electronic device using a geomagnetic sensor when an event occurs for acquiring the position of the electronic device; a step of identifying the direction of the electronic device based on the acquired geomagnetic information; and a step of acquiring the position of the electronic device in the LiDAR map through the identified direction and the LiDAR sensor, wherein the step of acquiring the position of the electronic device comprises: a step of acquiring the position of the electronic device in the LiDAR map using the LiDAR sensor for a direction of a preset range radius from the identified direction; and the step of identifying comprises: a step of acquiring a geomagnetic map around the electronic device using the geomagnetic sensor; and a step of identifying the direction of the electronic device and at least one second estimated position in the LiDAR map by matching geomagnetic magnitude information and direction information included in the acquired geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic information. A control method further comprising the step of obtaining the position of the electronic device in the lidar map through the lidar sensor based on the orientation of the electronic device in the lidar map and the at least one second estimated position. Claim 2 A control method according to claim 1, wherein the geomagnetic information includes information regarding the geomagnetic direction around the electronic device, and the identifying step comprises: a step of identifying the true north direction using the information regarding the geomagnetic direction; and a step of identifying the direction of the electronic device in the lidar map by matching the identified true north direction with the true north direction in the lidar map. Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A control method according to claim 1, wherein if the position of an electronic device in the lidar map is not obtained as a result of using the lidar sensor in the direction of the above-mentioned set range radius, the position of an electronic device in the lidar map is obtained by using the lidar sensor in the direction of 360 degrees. Claim 5 A control method according to claim 1, further comprising: a step of identifying a first estimated position of the electronic device in the lidar map using at least one of an IMU sensor and a Wheel encoder when an event to acquire the position of the electronic device occurs when the recent position of the electronic device is stored in advance; and a step of acquiring the position of the electronic device in the lidar map based on the first estimated position, the identified direction, and the lidar sensor. Claim 6 delete Claim 7 A control method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying step further comprises: a step of identifying at least one third estimated position of the electronic device in the lidar map by matching geomagnetic magnitude information included in the acquired geomagnetic map with geomagnetic magnitude information included in the geomagnetic information; and a step of identifying the direction of the electronic device in the lidar map and at least one second estimated position of the electronic device in the lidar map by matching geomagnetic direction information included in the acquired geomagnetic map with geomagnetic direction information included in the geomagnetic information; wherein the step of identifying the second estimated position is a step of identifying at least one position among the identified third estimated positions as the second estimated position. Claim 8 A control method according to claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining the estimated position is a step of obtaining the position of the electronic device in the lidar map using the lidar sensor for a position of a preset range radius from the second estimated position and a direction of a preset range radius from the identified direction. Claim 9 In claim 8, a control method for obtaining the position of an electronic device in the lidar map using the lidar sensor for the entire position and 360-degree direction of the lidar map when the position of the electronic device in the lidar map is not obtained as a result of using the lidar sensor for the position of a preset range radius from the second estimated position and the direction of a preset range radius from the identified direction. Claim 10 A control method according to claim 1, characterized in that the geomagnetic map is obtained using the geomagnetic sensor while the electronic device moves through the area where the geomagnetic map is to be generated. Claim 11 In an electronic device that travels through space, a memory that stores at least one instruction; The system includes a processor that controls the electronic device by executing at least one instruction stored in the memory, wherein the processor acquires a LiDAR map for the space for estimating the position of the electronic device, and when an event for acquiring the position of the electronic device occurs, acquires geomagnetic information around the electronic device using a geomagnetic sensor, identifies the direction of the electronic device based on the acquired geomagnetic information, and acquires the position of the electronic device in the LiDAR map through the identified direction and the LiDAR sensor, wherein the processor acquires the position of the electronic device in the LiDAR map using the LiDAR sensor for a direction of a preset range radius from the identified direction, wherein the processor acquires a geomagnetic map around the electronic device using the geomagnetic sensor, matches geomagnetic magnitude information and direction information included in the acquired geomagnetic map with the geomagnetic information to identify the direction of the electronic device in the LiDAR map and at least one second estimated position, and based on the direction of the electronic device in the LiDAR map and the at least one second estimated position, the position in the LiDAR map through the LiDAR sensor An electronic device that obtains the location of the above electronic device. Claim 12 An electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the geomagnetic information includes information regarding the geomagnetic direction around the electronic device, and the processor identifies the true north direction using the information regarding the geomagnetic direction, and identifies the direction of the electronic device in the lidar map by matching the identified true north direction with the true north direction in the lidar map. Claim 13 delete Claim 14 In claim 11, the processor is an electronic device that obtains the position of the electronic device in the lidar map using the lidar sensor in a 360-degree direction when the position of the electronic device in the lidar map is not obtained as a result of using the lidar sensor in the direction of the preset range radius. Claim 15 In claim 11, the processor identifies a first estimated position of the electronic device in the lidar map using at least one of an IMU sensor and a Wheel encoder when an event to acquire the position of the electronic device occurs, when the recent position of the electronic device is stored in advance, and acquires the position of the electronic device in the lidar map based on the first estimated position, the identified direction, and the lidar sensor. Claim 16 delete Claim 17 In claim 11, the processor identifies at least one third estimated location of the electronic device in the lidar map by matching geomagnetic magnitude information included in the acquired geomagnetic map with geomagnetic magnitude information included in the geomagnetic information, and identifies the direction of the electronic device in the lidar map and at least one second estimated location of the electronic device in the lidar map by matching geomagnetic direction information included in the acquired geomagnetic map with geomagnetic direction information included in the geomagnetic information, and the processor identifies at least one of the identified third estimated locations as the second estimated location when identifying the second estimated location. Claim 18 In claim 11, the processor is an electronic device that obtains the position of the electronic device in the lidar map using the lidar sensor for a position of a preset range radius from the second estimated position and a direction of a preset range radius from the identified direction. Claim 19 In claim 18, the processor is an electronic device that obtains the position of the electronic device in the lidar map using the lidar sensor for the entire position and 360-degree direction of the lidar map when the position of the electronic device in the lidar map is not obtained as a result of using the lidar sensor for the position of a preset range radius from the second estimated position and the direction of a preset range radius from the identified direction. Claim 20 An electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the geomagnetic map is obtained using the geomagnetic sensor while the electronic device moves through the area where the geomagnetic map is to be generated.
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