Augmented Reality Navigation Using Optical Flow Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional navigation systems face high deployment costs and complexity due to the need for extensive positioning infrastructure and databases, especially in indoor environments where GPS signals are inaccessible.
Innovation Solution
A navigation system utilizing optical flow analysis to determine positioning coordinates and perform path planning, which includes a measurement unit with a positioning module, a navigation unit, and an image unit with a capturing module, computation module, and augmented reality module to superimpose guidance indications on real-world scenes without requiring extensive infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS-based positioning is used for outdoor navigation, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the system becomes inoperative in indoor environments where GPS signals are inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary positioning mechanism using visual landmarks and optical flow analysis. Instead of relying directly on GPS signals, the system uses captured images of the environment, detects feature points and landmarks within those images, and calculates positioning information through optical flow analysis. This intermediary approach enables the system to operate in indoor environments where GPS is unavailable while maintaining positioning accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If indoor GPS-like signal sources or landmark-based positioning is established, then indoor navigation capability is improved, but deployment cost and system complexity increase due to requiring multiple positioning infrastructure components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the navigation system to use the environment itself for positioning purposes. By capturing images and automatically detecting natural landmarks and feature points within those images, the system serves its own positioning needs without requiring external infrastructure deployment. The optical flow analysis algorithm processes the captured visual information to derive positioning data, allowing the system to adapt to any environment without pre-installed beacons or markers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal positioning system that can operate across both outdoor and indoor environments using the same core technology. The image capturing module, landmark detection algorithm, and optical flow analysis work together to provide consistent positioning functionality regardless of whether the environment is indoor or outdoor, eliminating the need for separate positioning infrastructures for different locations.
3Ease of operation
If virtual navigation information is superimposed on real-world scenes using augmented reality, then user navigation experience is improved, but the system requires accurate positioning and posture tracking which increases computational requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary processing of positioning and posture information before the augmented reality rendering stage. By calculating positioning coordinates and posture data through optical flow analysis of captured images in advance, the system prepares the transformation matrices needed for accurate superimposition of virtual navigation information. This preliminary computation approach enables real-time augmented reality display without excessive computational demands during the rendering phase.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides accurate positioning and optimized path routing, reducing deployment costs and complexity while offering an intuitive navigation experience through augmented reality, even in indoor environments.
Implementation Method 1
The computation module is configured to perform an optical flow analysis upon the series of planar images, so as to generate an optical flow signal associated with a result of performance of the optical flow analysis and used to obtain the positioning coordinates
Data Source
AI summary
A navigation system includes a measurement unit that outputs a positioning signal associated with positioning coordinates, a navigation unit that obtains guidance indication and that outputs a navigation signal, and an image unit that includes a capturing module capturing a series of planar images, a computation module and an augmented reality module. The computation module generates an optical flow signal for obtaining the positioning coordinates, and further outputs a registration signal. The augmented reality module performs image registration processing based on the navigation signal and the registration signal, so that the guidance indication is superimposed on the series of planar images of real-world scene for subsequent display.