Method and apparatus for measuring posture

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present application, a method for measuring posture is provided. The method includes the steps of: generating three-dimensional shape information of a pipe through which a moving body moves; generating an extension vector of the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information; generating a directional vector indicating a direction in which the moving body faces; and generating a first tilt angle of the moving body with respect to the pipe on the basis of the extension vector and the directional vector.

Description

Posture measurement method and device

[0001] The present application relates to a method and device for measuring posture.

[0002] In-line inspection (ILI) technology, utilizing in-line inspection robots, or intelligent pigs, plays a crucial role in managing the health of pipelines. Intelligent pigs navigate inside pipelines, driven by gas pressure, acquiring defect information. To accurately map this information to its location, they utilize an inertial navigation system (INS) for digital mapping.

[0003] In digital mapping, improving the accuracy of localization is a crucial factor in managing underground facilities. Currently, the navigation algorithm, based on the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), calculates (predicts) the pig's position, velocity, and attitude using acceleration and angular velocity values ​​measured by an inertial measurement unit (IMU). It then updates (corrects) the pig's passage time and position coordinates measured by a time-based marker system (TBMS) and velocity measurements from an odometer.

[0004] However, these navigation algorithms are calculated based on the assumption that the centerline of the pipe and the centerline of the intelligent pig are aligned. Therefore, any tilt between the centerline of the pipe and the centerline of the intelligent pig will result in errors in the navigation calculation. To compensate for this, the tilt angle of the intelligent pig's centerline relative to the pipe centerline must be measured, particularly the pitch and yaw inclinations. Based on these tilt angles, this error can be compensated for during navigation calculations, thereby improving the accuracy of position calculations.

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a method and device for measuring posture.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present application, a method for measuring attitude is provided. The method may include the steps of: generating three-dimensional shape information of a pipe along which a mobile body moves; generating an extension vector of the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information; generating a direction vector indicating a direction in which the mobile body is facing; and generating a first inclination angle of the mobile body with respect to the pipe based on the extension vector and the direction vector.

[0007] Additionally, the first tilt angle may include a pitch angle and a yaw angle.

[0008] Additionally, the three-dimensional shape information may be based on depth data measured by a 3D depth sensor facing the front of the moving object.

[0009] Additionally, the three-dimensional shape information can be generated by matching a standard pipe shape to the depth data.

[0010] Additionally, the extension vector may be a center vector of the pipe.

[0011] In addition, the step of generating the extension vector may include the steps of generating a first plane crossing the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information; generating a second plane parallel to the first plane; and generating the extension vector from a first feature point within the first plane and a second feature point within the second plane corresponding to the first feature point.

[0012] Additionally, the first tilt angle can be generated by the vector difference between the extension vector and the orientation vector.

[0013] In addition, the method may further include a step of obtaining a first rotation angle between a first guide portion provided in the moving body and the moving body; a step of obtaining a second rotation angle between a second guide portion spaced apart from the first guide portion along the extension direction of the moving body and the moving body; and a step of generating a second inclination angle of the moving body with respect to the pipe from the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle.

[0014] Additionally, the second tilt angle can be generated by Equation 1.

[0015] [Formula 1]

[0016]

[0017] In Equation 1, α is the second tilt angle, θ1 is the first rotation angle, θ2 is the second rotation angle, L is the distance between the first guide part and the second guide part, l1 is the length of the first guide part, and l2 is the length of the second guide part.

[0018] Additionally, the method may further include a step of generating a third tilt angle based on the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

[0019] Additionally, in the step of generating the third tilt angle, the same or different weights may be applied to the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present application, a computer program stored in a recording medium is provided for executing a posture measurement method.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present application, a posture measurement device is provided. The device may include a memory storing a program for performing a posture measurement method; and a processor that generates three-dimensional shape information of a pipe along which a mobile body moves by executing the program, generates an extension vector of the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information, generates a direction vector indicating a direction in which the mobile body is facing, and generates a first inclination angle of the mobile body with respect to the pipe based on the extension vector and the direction vector.

[0022] Additionally, the processor can generate a second tilt angle of the movable body with respect to the pipe from a first rotation angle between a first guide portion provided on the movable body and the movable body and a second rotation angle between a second guide portion spaced apart from the first guide portion along an extension direction of the movable body and the movable body.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present application, a posture measurement system is provided. The system may include: a posture measurement device according to an embodiment of the present application; a moving body traveling within the pipe; a depth sensor provided on the moving body and generating depth data of the pipe; and an inertial sensor provided on the moving body and measuring acceleration and angular velocity according to the movement of the moving body.

[0024] Additionally, the device may further include an angle sensor that measures a rotation angle between the guide part connected to the device and the device.

[0025] According to embodiments of the present application, the tilt between a pipe and a moving body can be measured, thereby improving the accuracy of position estimation of the moving body.

[0026] Additionally, according to embodiments of the present application, the tilt angle can be calculated optically using a 3D depth sensor and / or physically using a guide. By combining these two different methods, it is possible to calculate a tilt angle that is robust to external disturbances and accurate.

[0027] In addition, according to the embodiment of the present application, by securing the accuracy of location estimation, a more accurate pipe numerical map can be created and the level of soundness management of underground buried pipes can be improved.

[0028] The effects that can be obtained from the embodiments of the present application are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present application belongs from the description below.

[0029] To facilitate a more thorough understanding of the drawings cited in this application, a brief description of each drawing is provided.

[0030] Figure 1 is a flowchart of a posture measurement method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Fig. 2 is a flowchart of a posture measurement method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a posture measurement method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a posture measurement device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a posture measurement system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] FIG. 6 is an exemplary drawing for explaining posture measurement according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] FIG. 7 is an exemplary drawing for explaining posture measurement according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] FIG. 8 is an exemplary drawing for explaining posture measurement according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0038] FIG. 9 is an exemplary drawing for explaining posture measurement according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0039] The technical concept of this application is susceptible to various modifications and embodiments. Specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the technical concept of this application to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives fall within the scope of the technical concept of this application.

[0040] In explaining the technical idea of ​​this application, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the gist of this application, the detailed description is omitted.

[0041] The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing embodiments and is not intended to limit or restrict the present application. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, numbers (e.g., "first," "second," etc.) used throughout the description of this application are merely identifiers used to distinguish one component from another.

[0042] When a part in this specification is said to be connected to another part, this includes not only direct connections but also indirect connections with other components intervening. Furthermore, when a part is said to include a component, unless otherwise specifically stated, this does not exclude other components but rather implies the inclusion of additional components.

[0043] Furthermore, the term "or" in this application is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or." That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from context, "X utilizes A or B" is intended to mean either of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X utilizes A; X utilizes B; or X utilizes both A and B, "X utilizes A or B" can apply to any of the above cases. Furthermore, the term "and / or" as used herein should be understood to refer to and encompass all possible combinations of one or more of the associated configurations listed.

[0044] In addition, terms such as “~part”, “~device”, “~sub-subject”, and “~module” described in the present application mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware or software or a combination of hardware and software, such as a processor, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an accelerated processor unit (APU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0045] It should be noted that the distinction between components in this application is merely a distinction based on the primary function of each component. In other words, two or more components described below may be combined into a single component, or a single component may be further subdivided into two or more components with more detailed functions. Furthermore, each component described below may, in addition to its own primary function, additionally perform some or all of the functions of other components. It should also be noted that some of the primary functions of each component may be exclusively performed by other components.

[0046]

[0047] The method according to the embodiment of the present application may be performed on a personal computer, workstation, server computer device, etc. having computing capabilities, or may be performed on a separate device for the same.

[0048] Additionally, the method may be performed on one or more computing devices. For example, at least one or more steps of the method according to an embodiment of the present application may be performed on a client device, and other steps may be performed on a server device. In such a case, the client device and the server device may be connected via a network to transmit and receive computational results. Alternatively, the method may be performed using distributed computing technology.

[0049]

[0050] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described in detail one by one.

[0051]

[0052] Figure 1 is a flowchart of a posture measurement method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0053] In step S110, three-dimensional shape information of the pipe can be generated. Here, the three-dimensional shape information of the pipe may relate to the shape of the interior of the pipe through which the pipe moving device (particularly, the moving body) moves. For example, the three-dimensional shape information may include information regarding the shape of the inner surface of the pipe and the inner space of the inner surface.

[0054] In embodiments, the three-dimensional shape information may be based on depth data measured by a 3D depth sensor. The 3D depth sensor can recognize three-dimensional space by measuring the depth of the surrounding environment. The 3D depth sensor may include, for example, a Time-of-Flight (TOF) sensor, a stereo camera, a structured light sensor, or a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor.

[0055] In an embodiment, the 3D depth sensor may be positioned facing the front of the moving object. That is, the 3D depth sensor may be positioned facing the direction of movement of the moving object, and thus may generate three-dimensional shape information of the pipe that is moving or is intended to move.

[0056] In embodiments, the 3D depth sensor may generate data about the depth, spatial information, etc. of the surrounding environment. For example, the data may include a point cloud, a depth map, a distance map, a depth image, a surface normal vector, etc.

[0057] In an embodiment, the 3D depth sensor can generate data in the form of a point cloud. A point cloud is represented as a collection of points of an object in three-dimensional space, each point expressed as a three-dimensional coordinate (x, y, z), and can form the surface of the object.

[0058] In an embodiment, three-dimensional shape information may be generated by registering depth data in point cloud format to a standard pipe shape. Here, registration (i.e., point-set registration) may mean mapping two different point cloud datasets to a common coordinate system or structure. In other words, by registering the three-dimensional shape of the pipe, particularly the shape of the inner surface and internal space of the pipe, with the standard pipe shape, the three-dimensional shape of the pipe can be modeled more precisely. According to an embodiment of the present application, various registration techniques such as Iterative Closest Point (ICP), Coherent Point Drift (CPD), Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC), and Geometric Feature Matching may be applied for registration. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0059] In an embodiment, the standard pipe shape may be configured to represent various pipe shapes, such as straight pipes, curved pipes (horizontal curved pipes, vertical curved pipes), compound curved pipes, and branch pipes. For example, the standard pipe shape for straight pipes may be a cylinder. For example, the standard pipe shape for curved pipes may be a curved cylinder. In this case, the three-dimensional shape information may be generated by performing cylinder matching or curved cylinder matching on depth data. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0060] At step S120, an extension vector of the pipe can be generated from the three-dimensional shape information. Here, the extension vector of the pipe can indicate the extension direction (or direction of travel) of the pipe.

[0061] In an embodiment, step S120 may include: generating a first plane crossing the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information; generating a second plane parallel to the first plane; and generating an extension vector from a first feature point within the first plane and a second feature point within the second plane corresponding to the first feature point.

[0062] In an embodiment, the first plane and the second plane may have the same size and shape and may be parallel to each other. In this case, the position of the first feature point within the first plane may correspond to the position of the second feature point within the second plane. For example, the first plane and the second plane may be planes perpendicular to the inner surface of the pipe. In addition, the first feature point and the second feature point may be the center points of the first plane and the second plane. However, this is not limited thereto.

[0063] Additionally, step S120 may further include a step of generating a third plane parallel to the first plane and the second plane, wherein an extension vector may connect a first feature point within the first plane, a second feature point within the second plane, and a third feature point within the third plane.

[0064] In an embodiment, the extension vector may be a center vector of the pipe. Here, the center vector may be a vector pointing from the center of a plane perpendicular to the inner surface of the pipe to another center. In particular, when the three-dimensional shape information is aligned with the standard cylinder shape of the pipe, the center vector may be a vector corresponding to the central axis of the cylinder. However, this is not limited thereto.

[0065] At step S130, a heading vector can be generated. The heading vector can indicate the direction in which the mobile body is facing. For example, the heading vector can be generated based on acceleration values ​​and / or angular velocity values ​​of the mobile body measured by an inertial sensor. Furthermore, for example, the heading vector can be generated based on attitude information of the mobile body. However, this is not limited thereto.

[0066] At step S140, a first tilt angle can be generated. Here, the tilt angle can represent the degree to which the moving object is tilted relative to the pipe. For example, the tilt angle can represent posture information of the moving object relative to the pipe. For example, the first tilt angle can include a pitch angle and a yaw angle.

[0067] In an embodiment, step S140 may be performed based on the extension vector of step S120 and the heading vector of step S130. More specifically, the first tilt angle may be generated by the vector difference between the extension vector and the heading vector.

[0068] The method (100) illustrated in FIG. 1 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0069]

[0070] Fig. 2 is a flowchart of a posture measurement method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0071] The method (200) of FIG. 2 may be performed together with or independently of the method (100) of FIG. 1. In step S210, a first rotation angle of the first guide portion may be obtained. Here, the first guide portion may be provided on the moving body and may be in close contact with the inner wall of the pipe to guide the movement of the moving body. For example, the first guide portion may include at least one of a first guide wheel and a first support portion connecting the first guide wheel and the moving body. For example, the first rotation angle may mean an angle between the moving body and the first guide wheel or an angle between the moving body and the first support portion. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0072] At step S220, the second guide portion can acquire a second rotation angle. The second guide portion and the second rotation angle are described similarly to the first guide portion and the first rotation angle, except that the second guide portion can be positioned apart from the first guide portion along the extension direction of the moving body.

[0073] At step S230, a second tilt angle of the moving body with respect to the pipe can be generated from the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle. Step S230 utilizes the fact that the relative distance between the moving body and the pipe varies depending on the degree to which the moving body is tilted. Specifically, the second tilt angle can be generated based on the first rotation angle, the second rotation angle, the distance between guide parts, and the length of the guide parts.

[0074] In an embodiment, the second tilt angle may be generated by Equation 1.

[0075] [Formula 1]

[0076]

[0077] In Equation 1, α represents a second tilt angle, θ1 represents a first rotation angle of the first guide portion, and θ2 represents a second rotation angle of the second guide portion. L represents a distance between the first guide portion and the second guide portion, l1 represents a length of the first guide portion, and l2 may represent a length of the second guide portion.

[0078] Additionally, the distance between the first guide portion and the second guide portion may be the distance between the connection area between the first support portion and the moving body and the connection area between the second support portion and the moving body. The length of the first guide portion and the length of the second guide portion may be the distance from the connection area through the first support portion and the second support portion to the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel, respectively.

[0079] The method (200) illustrated in FIG. 2 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0080]

[0081] Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a posture measurement method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0082] At step S310, a first tilt angle can be obtained. The first tilt angle can be generated by method (100).

[0083] At step S320, a second tilt angle can be obtained. The second tilt angle can be generated by the method (200).

[0084] At step S330, a third tilt angle can be generated. Here, the third tilt angle can be a third tilt angle calculated by combining the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

[0085] In an embodiment, when generating a third tilt angle, a predetermined weight may be applied to each of the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle. The weight of the first tilt angle and the weight of the second tilt angle may be the same or different.

[0086] In an embodiment, at step S330, the same weight may be applied to the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle. For example, the third tilt angle may be calculated by averaging the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

[0087] In an embodiment, at step S330, a higher weight may be applied to the second tilt angle than the first tilt angle. If the reliability of the extension vector and / or the reliability of the direction vector is low, a higher weight may be applied to the second tilt angle to generate a third tilt angle. For example, if foreign substances accumulated in the pipe, such as black powder, sludge, dust, or iron filings, adhere to the 3D depth sensor and cause distortion or omission in the depth data (e.g., point cloud data) measured by the 3D depth sensor, the weight of the second tilt angle may be increased. In this case, applying a higher weight to the second tilt angle may include completely excluding the first tilt angle, but is not limited thereto.

[0088] In an embodiment, at step S330, a higher weight may be applied to the first tilt angle than to the second tilt angle. For example, when the guide part is released from the pipe's seal, the weight of the first tilt angle may be increased. In addition, for example, when the guide part is driven through a circumferential welded portion of a pipe with a local bend formed inside the pipe, a stepped portion with a different pipe thickness (including a bend pipe, a branch pipe, etc.), etc., the measurement reliability of the guide part's rotation angle may be lowered, and therefore, the weight of the first tilt angle may be increased.

[0089] At this time, applying a higher weight to the first tilt angle may include, but is not limited to, completely excluding the second tilt angle.

[0090] The method illustrated in FIG. 3 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0091]

[0092] Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a posture measurement device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0093] The device (400) of FIG. 4 is for performing a posture measurement method (100, 200, 300), etc., and may specifically include a communication unit (410), an input unit (420), a memory (430), and a processor (440).

[0094] The communication unit (410) can receive or transmit data from inside or outside. The communication unit (410) can include a wired or wireless communication unit. When the communication unit (410) includes a wired communication unit, the communication unit (410) can include one or more components that enable communication via a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Value Added Network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, and a combination thereof. In addition, when the communication unit (410) includes a wireless communication unit, the communication unit (410) can wirelessly transmit and receive data or signals using cellular communication, wireless LAN (e.g., Wi-Fi), etc. In an embodiment, the communication unit (410) can transmit and receive data or signals with an external device or an external server under the control of the processor (440).

[0095] The input unit (420) can receive various user commands through external manipulation. For this purpose, the input unit (420) may include or be connected to one or more input devices. For example, the input unit (420) may be connected to various input interfaces, such as a keypad or mouse, to receive user commands. For this purpose, the input unit (420) may include an interface, such as a Thunderbolt port, as well as a USB port. In addition, the input unit (420) may include or be combined with various input devices, such as a touchscreen or buttons, to receive external user commands.

[0096] The memory (430) can store programs and / or program commands for the operation of the processor (440), and can temporarily or permanently store input / output data. The memory (430) can include at least one type of storage medium among a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory, etc.), RAM, SRAM, ROM, EEPROM, PROM, magnetic memory, magnetic disk, and optical disk.

[0097] Additionally, the memory (430) can store various network functions and algorithms, and can store various data, programs (one or more instructions), applications, software, commands, codes, etc. for driving and controlling the device (400).

[0098] The processor (440) can control the overall operation of the device (400). The processor (440) can execute one or more programs or software stored in the memory (430). The processor (440) may refer to a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a dedicated processor (440) on which methods according to embodiments of the present application are performed.

[0099] In an embodiment, the processor (440) may generate three-dimensional shape information of a pipe along which a mobile body moves, generate an extension vector of the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information, generate a direction vector indicating a direction in which the mobile body is facing, and generate a first inclination angle of the mobile body with respect to the pipe based on the extension vector and the direction vector. Here, the first inclination angle may include a pitch angle and a yaw angle.

[0100] In an embodiment, the processor (440) may generate an extension vector, generate a first plane crossing the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information, generate a second plane parallel to the first plane, and generate the extension vector from a first feature point within the first plane and a second feature point within the second plane corresponding to the first feature point.

[0101] In an embodiment, the processor (440) may generate the first tilt angle by the vector difference between the extension vector and the orientation vector.

[0102] In an embodiment, the processor (440) may obtain a first rotation angle between a first guide part provided in the mobile body and the mobile body; obtain a second rotation angle between a second guide part spaced apart from the first guide part along an extension direction of the mobile body and the mobile body; and generate a second tilt angle of the mobile body with respect to the pipe from the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle.

[0103] In an embodiment, the processor (440) may generate the second tilt angle by Equation 1.

[0104] [Formula 1]

[0105]

[0106] In Equation 1, α is the second tilt angle, θ1 is the first rotation angle, θ2 is the second rotation angle, L is the distance between the first guide part and the second guide part, l1 is the length of the first guide part, and l2 is the length of the second guide part. In addition, the distance between the first guide part and the second guide part may be the distance between the connection area between the first support part and the moving body and the connection area between the second support part and the moving body. The length of the first guide part and the length of the second guide part may be the distance from the connection area through the first support part and the second support part to the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel, respectively.

[0107] In an embodiment, the processor (440) may generate a third tilt angle based on the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

[0108] In an embodiment, the processor (440) may apply the same or different weights to the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle when generating the third tilt angle.

[0109] The device (400) illustrated in FIG. 4 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0110]

[0111] Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a posture measurement system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0112] Referring to FIG. 5, the posture measurement system (500) may include a posture measurement device (510), a moving body (520), a 3D depth sensor (530), an inertial sensor (540), and an angle sensor (560).

[0113] The posture measurement device (510) of FIG. 5 can be described similarly to the posture measurement device (400) of FIG. 4, and in the posture measurement system (500), the moving body (520), the 3D depth sensor (530), the inertial sensor (540), and the angle sensor (560) can be referred to as a pipe moving device (or a pipe inspection device). However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0114] In FIG. 5, the posture measurement device (510) and the mobile body (520) are depicted separately, but this is exemplary, and according to an embodiment, at least a part of the posture measurement device (510) may be provided in the mobile body (520). For example, the posture measurement device (510) may be built into the mobile body (520) and referred to as a part of the pipe movement device, or may be implemented in the form of a server, a control device, etc., physically separated or spaced from the mobile body (520).

[0115] The moving body (520) is a part that forms the body of the pipe moving device, and can have a size and shape that can be inserted into the pipe and moved.

[0116] In an embodiment, the mobile body (520) can accommodate various internal and external configurations. In addition, the mobile body (520) can be configured to perform various functions, such as inspecting the interior of the pipe while traveling within the pipe based on the pressure difference in the fluid within the pipe that occurs between the front and rear ends of the mobile body (520).

[0117] In an embodiment, the mobile unit (520) may be comprised of one or more units. If comprised of multiple units, the units may be connected to each other via link members, such as universal joints. For example, the front-end mobile unit may be responsible for traveling within a pipe, while the rear-end mobile unit may be responsible for inspecting the pipe. However, this is not a limitation.

[0118] In an embodiment, a drive cup is provided on the outer surface of the moving body (520) and adheres closely to the inner wall of the pipe, thereby blocking the flow of fluid within the pipe around the drive cup. This generates a pressure difference, thereby allowing the moving body (520) to move along the inside of the pipe. For example, the drive cup may be configured as one or more. When there are multiple drive cups, the drive cups may be spaced apart along the length direction on the outer surface of the moving body (520). However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0119] In an embodiment, at least a portion of the drive cup may be formed of an elastic material. Accordingly, when the moving body (520) travels inside the pipe, the drive cup may be elastically deformed and come into contact with the inner wall of the pipe even when the inner diameter of the pipe changes or the shape of the pipe, such as a curved pipe, changes. For example, the drive cup may be formed of a urethane material that is elastic and has sufficient durability and wear resistance to withstand damage caused by contact with the inner wall of the pipe. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various materials such as silicone, neoprene, polyurethane, and TPE (Thermo Plastic Elastomer) may be applied.

[0120] A 3D depth sensor is provided in a mobile body (520) to measure the depth of the surrounding environment and recognize a three-dimensional space. The 3D depth sensor may include, for example, a Time-of-Flight (TOF) sensor, a stereo camera, a structured light sensor, a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor, etc. In particular, the 3D depth sensor may be positioned toward the front of the mobile body. This allows the 3D depth sensor to be positioned toward the moving direction of the mobile body, thereby generating three-dimensional shape information of a pipe that is moving or is intended to move.

[0121] The inertial sensor (540) may be provided in the moving body (520) and may serve to measure and record changes in inertia according to the movement of the moving body (520) when the moving body (520) runs along the inner wall of the pipe. Specifically, the inertial sensor (540) may include an accelerometer that measures acceleration acting on the moving body (520) and an angular velocity meter that measures angular velocity acting on the moving body (520). The accelerometer may measure acceleration in three axes: front-back, left-right, and up-down, and the angular velocity meter may measure three-axis rotational angular velocity of pitch, roll, and yaw. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0122] The guide part (550) extends from the moving body (520) toward the inner wall of the pipe, and can guide the movement of the moving body (520) by being in close contact with the inner wall of the pipe. Specifically, the guide part (550) may include a guide wheel that is in close contact with the pipe and rotates, and a support part that connects the moving body and the guide wheel. The guide wheel is in close contact with the pipe and rotates, thereby reducing friction between the moving body (520) and the pipe, preventing impact that may occur between the moving body (520) and the pipe, and / or preventing a sudden change in posture of the moving body (520) within the pipe. In addition, the support part connects the guide wheel and the moving body (520), and can be rotatably connected with respect to the moving body (520). The rotation angle measured by the angle sensor (560) may be a rotation angle between the support part and the moving body (520).

[0123] The angle sensor (560) can measure the angle between the guide part and the moving body (520), i.e., the rotation angle. The guide part may be formed to extend toward the pipe side by being connected to a certain area of ​​the moving body (520). The angle between the extension direction of the guide part and the formation direction of the moving body (520) may be the rotation angle. The guide part may bend or rotate with respect to the moving body (520) depending on the degree of contact with the pipe, and the angle sensor (560) may measure the changing rotation angle periodically / aperiodically.

[0124] Although not shown, the system (500) may further include an odometer according to an embodiment. The odometer is attached to the inner wall of the pipe and can rotate along the inner wall when the moving body (520) moves. The rotation amount measured by the odometer can be converted into a linear speed to measure the travel distance. Specifically, the odometer may include a wheel part that is attached to the inner wall of the pipe, a rotation measuring part that measures the rotation amount of the wheel part, and an extension part that connects the wheel part and the moving body (520). Although the present application describes that the angle sensor (560) measures the rotation angle between the guide part (550) and the moving body (520), additionally / alternatively, the angle sensor (560) may also measure the rotation angle between the odometer and the moving body (520).

[0125] The system (500) illustrated in FIG. 5 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0126]

[0127] FIG. 6 is an exemplary drawing for explaining posture measurement according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0128] As shown in (a) of FIG. 6, when the moving body (620) moves without being inclined with respect to the pipe (610), the extension vector (630) of the pipe and the direction vector of the moving body (620) may coincide with each other.

[0129] In contrast, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 6, when the moving body (620) moves in a tilted state with respect to the pipe (610), the extension vector (630) of the pipe and the orientation vector (640) of the moving body (620) may be misaligned. If this is not corrected, an error will occur in the navigation calculation of the moving body (620), which will inevitably lower the reliability of the position estimation.

[0130] What is shown in FIG. 6 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to the embodiments of the present application.

[0131]

[0132] FIG. 7 is an exemplary drawing for explaining posture measurement according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0133] Referring to FIG. 7, a process of generating an extension vector (760) of a pipe (710) from a moving body (720) moving inside the pipe (710) is illustrated.

[0134] Specifically, the moving body (720) may be tilted with respect to the pipe (710), and a 3D depth sensor equipped on the moving body (720) may capture the front of the moving body (720) to obtain depth data (730). After generating pipe shape information from the depth data (730), two planes (740, 750) that are parallel to each other may be applied to the pipe shape information, and feature points located on each plane (740, 750) may be connected to generate an extension vector (760).

[0135] What is shown in Fig. 7 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to the embodiments of the present application.

[0136]

[0137] FIG. 8 is an exemplary drawing for explaining posture measurement according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0138] Referring to FIG. 8, a pipe measurement system (800) is illustrated.

[0139] The moving body (810) may have a size and shape suitable for traveling along a pipe to form the body of a pipe moving device. The moving body (810) may be equipped with various sensors (530, 540, 560) or various configurations for moving and / or inspecting the pipe.

[0140] Specifically, the moving body (810) may have a plurality of drive cups (820) spaced apart from each other. The drive cups (820) are in close contact with the inner wall of the pipe, thereby blocking the fluid flow within the pipe, thereby allowing the moving body (810) to move within the pipe by the differential pressure between the front and rear ends of the moving body (810).

[0141] Additionally, a guide portion (830) may be positioned adjacent to the drive cup (820). The guide portion (830) may be in close contact with the inner wall of the pipe, thereby reducing friction and allowing smooth movement of the moving body (810). When the posture of the moving body (810) changes while the guide portion (830) is in close contact with the inner wall of the pipe, the guide portion (830) may rotate, thereby changing the rotation angle with respect to the moving body (810).

[0142] Additionally, an angle sensor (840) may be provided on the front of the mobile body (810). The angle sensor (840) may capture the inside of a pipe on the front of the mobile body (810) to generate depth data.

[0143] Additionally, an odometer (850) may be provided at the rear end of the moving body (810). The odometer (850) may rotate in close contact with the inner wall of the pipe. The rotational speed may be converted into a linear speed and used to measure the travel distance.

[0144] What is shown in FIG. 8 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to the embodiments of the present application.

[0145]

[0146] FIG. 9 is an exemplary drawing for explaining posture measurement according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0147] Referring to FIG. 9, a process of calculating an inclination angle by utilizing a guide part (930, 940) in a moving body (920) moving inside a pipe (910) is illustrated.

[0148] The moving body (920) may have a first guide part (930) and a second guide part (940) spaced apart from each other by a predetermined length (950). The first guide part (930) and the second guide part (940) may be at the same position with respect to the circumferential direction of the moving body (920).

[0149] Each guide part (930, 940) includes a guide wheel and a support part, one end of which is connected to the guide wheel, and the other end of which is rotatably connected to a moving body (920). Rotation of the support part allows the guide wheel to be brought into close contact with the inner wall of the pipe (910).

[0150] The angle at which the extension part rotates from the moving body (920) can be the rotation angle. The first rotation angle of the first guide part (930) and the second rotation angle of the second guide part (940) can be measured, and based on this, the tilt angle of the moving body (920) can be calculated, for example, by Equation 1.

[0151] What is shown in Fig. 9 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to the embodiments of the present application.

[0152]

[0153] The method according to the embodiment of the present application may be implemented in the form of program commands that can be executed through various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, etc., alone or in combination. The program commands recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the present application or may be those known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program commands such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memories. Examples of program commands include not only machine language codes generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0154] Additionally, the methods according to the disclosed embodiments may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer.

[0155] A computer program product may include a software program and a computer-readable storage medium on which the software program is stored. For example, a computer program product may include a product in the form of a software program (e.g., a downloadable app) distributed electronically by an electronic device manufacturer or through an electronic marketplace (e.g., Google Play Store, App Store). For electronic distribution, at least a portion of the software program may be stored on a storage medium or temporarily created. In this case, the storage medium may be a storage medium of a manufacturer's server, an electronic marketplace server, or a relay server that temporarily stores the software program.

[0156] In a system comprising a server and a client device, the computer program product may include a storage medium of the server or a storage medium of the client device. Alternatively, if a third device (e.g., a smartphone) exists that is communicatively connected to the server or the client device, the computer program product may include a storage medium of the third device. Alternatively, the computer program product may include a software program itself that is transmitted from the server to the client device or the third device, or from the third device to the client device.

[0157] In this case, one of the server, the client device, and the third device may execute the computer program product to perform the method according to the disclosed embodiments. Alternatively, two or more of the server, the client device, and the third device may execute the computer program product to perform the method according to the disclosed embodiments in a distributed manner.

[0158] For example, a server (e.g., a cloud server or an artificial intelligence server, etc.) may execute a computer program product stored on the server, thereby controlling a client device in communication with the server to perform a method according to the disclosed embodiments.

[0159]

[0160] Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present application defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. As a method of measuring posture, A step of generating three-dimensional shape information of a pipe through which a moving object moves; A step of generating an extension vector of the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information; A step of generating a direction vector indicating the direction in which the moving object is headed; and A step of generating a first inclination angle of the moving body with respect to the pipe based on the extension vector and the direction vector. A method comprising:

2. In paragraph 1, A method wherein the first tilt angle includes a pitch angle and a yaw angle.

3. In paragraph 1, A method wherein the above three-dimensional shape information is based on depth data measured by a 3D depth sensor facing the front of the moving object.

4. In paragraph 3, A method in which the above three-dimensional shape information is generated by matching a standard pipe shape to the above depth data.

5. In paragraph 1, A method wherein the above extension vector is a center vector of the pipe.

6. In paragraph 1, A method wherein the step of generating the extension vector comprises: generating a first plane crossing the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information; generating a second plane parallel to the first plane; and generating an extension vector from a first feature point within the first plane and a second feature point within the second plane corresponding to the first feature point.

7. In paragraph 1, A method wherein the first tilt angle is generated by the vector difference between the extension vector and the orientation vector.

8. In paragraph 1, A step of obtaining a first rotation angle between a first guide part provided in the above moving body and the above moving body; A step of obtaining a second rotation angle between the second guide part spaced apart from the first guide part along the extension direction of the moving body and the moving body; and A method further comprising the step of generating a second tilt angle of the moving body with respect to the pipe from the first rotation angle and the second rotation angle.

9. In paragraph 8, The above second tilt angle is generated by Equation 1. [Formula 1] In Equation 1, α is the second tilt angle, θ1 is the first rotation angle, θ2 is the second rotation angle, L is the distance between the first guide part and the second guide part, l1 is the length of the first guide part, and l2 is the length of the second guide part.

10. In paragraph 8, A method further comprising the step of generating a third tilt angle based on the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle.

11. In paragraph 10, A method of applying the same or different weights to the first tilt angle and the second tilt angle in the step of generating the third tilt angle.

12. A computer program stored in a recording medium for executing a method according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 11.

13. As a posture measuring device, A memory in which a program for performing a posture measurement method is stored; and A device comprising a processor that generates three-dimensional shape information of a pipe along which a mobile body moves by executing the above program, generates an extension vector of the pipe from the three-dimensional shape information, generates a direction vector indicating a direction in which the mobile body is facing, and generates a first inclination angle of the mobile body with respect to the pipe based on the extension vector and the direction vector.

14. In paragraph 13, A device wherein the processor generates a second tilt angle of the movable body with respect to the pipe from a first rotation angle between a first guide portion provided on the movable body and the movable body and a second rotation angle between a second guide portion spaced apart from the first guide portion along the extension direction of the movable body and the movable body.

15. As a posture measurement system, Posture measuring device according to Article 13; A moving body traveling within the above pipe; A depth sensor provided in the above moving body and generating depth data of the pipe; and A system comprising an inertial sensor provided in the above-mentioned moving body and measuring acceleration and angular velocity according to the movement of the above-mentioned moving body.

16. In paragraph 15, A system further comprising an angle sensor for measuring a rotation angle between a guide part connected to the moving body and the moving body.

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