Beacon-Augmented Pose Estimation Using Positionable Beacons
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current pose estimation systems are inadequate for providing accurate and timely six-dimensional (6-D) pose estimates over a wide area in changing environmental conditions, as they often rely on GPS, which is attenuated or blocked, or require dense fixed markers that are impractical in large or dynamic environments.
Innovation Solution
Deploying positionable beacons that determine their 3-D geospatial coordinates and transmit them to a pose object, combined with various sensor configurations and a Single Constraint At A Time (SCAAT) Kalman filter to refine and track the pose estimate, allowing for both static and mobile beacons to optimize beacon placement and reduce the number required to cover an area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS is used to provide position information, then position estimation can be obtained, but GPS signal is often attenuated or blocked due to environmental effects causing inaccurate pose estimate and additional latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces beacons as intermediary objects that mediate between the global coordinate system and the pose object. These beacons are placed throughout the environment and serve as reference points that the pose object can observe and use to determine its position, replacing direct GPS dependency with a multi-hop reference system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from relying solely on satellite-based 3D positioning to a hybrid system that incorporates 2D image coordinates from camera observations of beacons. This adds a visual dimension to the positioning problem, allowing the system to solve for pose using perspective projection geometry rather than purely radio signal triangulation.
2Reliability
If fixed markers are placed densely in the environment to ensure visibility, then pose tracking becomes more stable, but the density of markers must be very large which is impractical in large or dynamic environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the reference objects from fixed, static markers to beacons that can be mobile or dynamically positioned. This allows the system to maintain reliable tracking with fewer objects by actively managing their positions to ensure optimal visibility and geometric distribution relative to the pose object.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic positioning of beacons, where mobile robots or adjustable mounting systems can move beacons to optimal locations. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain stable pose tracking with fewer beacons by actively ensuring they remain within the camera's field of view and maintain good geometric distribution, rather than requiring a static dense array.
3Speed
If inertial sensors are used to provide orientation, then short-term accurate orientation can be obtained, but the pose estimate tends to drift over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously observing beacons and using their known positions to correct the pose estimate. The system compares the observed beacon positions with expected positions based on the inertial estimate, and uses this feedback to correct drift in the orientation measurement, maintaining long-term accuracy while preserving short-term responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges inertial sensing with visual beacon observation into a hybrid pose estimation system. The inertial sensors provide high-frequency orientation data while beacon observations provide absolute position references, and the fusion of these two sources combines the advantages of both approaches to achieve both fast response and long-term accuracy.
4Reliability
If markers are spread widely apart to improve robustness, then the system requires multiple imagers or wide field-of-view, but the wide field-of-view spreads the resolution across a large area reducing accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic positioning of beacons to maintain optimal geometric distribution relative to the pose object. Mobile beacons can actively adjust their positions to ensure they are spread appropriately across the field of view, maintaining both system robustness and measurement precision without requiring a fixed wide-angle setup.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
A beacon-augmented pose estimation system includes positionable beacons that can determine their own 3-D geospatial coordinates and transmit those coordinates back to the pose object. An imaging sensor images the field-of-view of the pose object to provide 2-D image coordinates for any of the beacons in the FOV. A pose object controller processes the sets of 3-D geospatial coordinates and 2-D image coordinates to refine a pose estimate of the pose object. The positionable beacons may include both static beacons that are pre-positioned and mobile beacons that are command-guided to position themselves in the pose object's likely or actual FOV.