Autonomous 3D Scan Routing for User-Defined Areas of Interest
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods require significant human effort and time to scan specific areas of interest in an environment, often wasting time on uninteresting parts, and lack efficient user-defined navigation in GPS-denied areas.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a user defines areas of interest using a mobile device, generating identification data that includes image, position, and pose data, which is used by a mobile robot with SLAM functionality to autonomously navigate and scan these areas, minimizing human interaction and time spent on uninteresting regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a robot performs complete exploration of an area, then all parts of the scene are scanned, but a large amount of time is spent on areas of no particular interest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between interesting and uninteresting areas of the scene. Users define specific areas of interest, and the robot concentrates its scanning resources only on those localized regions rather than uniformly scanning the entire environment. This selective approach maintains measurement precision for important areas while eliminating time waste on irrelevant regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the environment into distinct areas of interest and non-interest regions. By dividing the scanning task into focused segments targeting only user-defined areas, the system achieves complete coverage of important regions without the overhead of scanning the entire scene, thereby resolving the time-coverage contradiction.
2Extent of automation
If external data is used to define areas to be scanned, then scanning can be automated, but the data may be cumbersome to retrieve and users may have difficulty finding relevant data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by allowing users to capture images with their mobile devices to define areas of interest. Instead of requiring users to search for or retrieve complex external data, they simply capture visual copies of the areas they want scanned. This approach automates the area definition process while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive image-based selection.
3Measurement precision
If a user carries the scanner through the environment to scan areas of interest, then direct control over scanning is achieved, but significant human effort and time are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the robot to autonomously navigate to and scan user-defined areas of interest without human intervention during the scanning process. Users only need to define the areas once using their mobile devices, after which the robot independently performs all scanning operations, eliminating the need for users to physically carry and operate the scanner throughout the environment.
4Extent of automation
If GPS data is used for robot navigation, then autonomous navigation to areas of interest is enabled, but GPS-denied areas such as building interiors cannot be accessed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by implementing multiple navigation methods that can function across different environments. The system supports both GPS-based navigation for outdoor areas and alternative navigation techniques for GPS-denied indoor environments, making the robot's autonomous navigation capability universally applicable regardless of the presence or absence of GPS signals.
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
Enables efficient scanning of user-defined areas with reduced human effort and time, allowing the robot to focus on relevant areas without additional user interaction, even in GPS-denied environments.
Implementation Method 1
A first aspect of the present invention pertains to a method for generating three-dimensional scan data of one or more areas of interest in an environment. Said method comprises a user defining the one or more areas of interest using a mobile device in the environment, and generating identification data, which at least comprises generating image data of the respective area of interest.
Implementation Method 2
The mobile robot having a SLAM functionality for simultaneous localization and mapping and being configured to autonomously move through the environment using the SLAM functionality.
Implementation Method 3
in the course of each scanning procedure, the mobile robot navigates to the respective area of interest using the identification data, detects the respective area of interest using the identification data, and uses the scanning device to scan the respective area of interest to generate the three-dimensional scan data.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention pertains to a system and a method (100) for generating three-dimensional scan data of one or more areas of interest in an environment, the method comprising a user defining (110) the one or more areas of interest using a mobile device in the environment, and a scanning device performing a scanning procedure (120) at each defined area of interest to generate the scan data of the respective area of interest, wherein defining the areas of interest comprises, for each area of interest, generating (114) identification data, wherein generating the identification data at least comprises generating (112) image data of the respective area of interest, and the scanning procedure at each defined area of interest is performed (128) by a mobile robot comprising the scanning device and being configured for autonomously performing a scan of a surrounding area using the scanning device, the mobile robot having a SLAM functionality for simultaneous localization and mapping and being configured to autonomously move through the environment using the SLAM functionality, wherein the identification data is provided (116) to the mobile robot, and, in the course of each scanning procedure, the mobile robot navigates (122) to the respective area of interest using the identification data, detects (124) the respective area of interest using the identification data; and uses the scanning device to scan (126) the respective area of interest to generate the three-dimensional scan data.