Factory Location Tracking Using Visual Odometry and Reference Markers

The patent replaces radio-based location tracking systems with a vision-based system using cameras and Visual Odometry algorithms. This substitution eliminates the harmful effect of multipath radio signal interference by using optical fields instead of radio fields, which are not affected by the same interference mechanisms in structurally complex factory environments.

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the tracking system from radio frequency signals to visual image data. By capturing images of markers through cameras and processing them via Visual Odometry, the system transforms the measurement domain from electromagnetic radio waves to optical images, thereby avoiding multipath interference inherent in radio signal-based methods.

Instead of deploying multiple fixed Access Points throughout the factory to track moving targets, the patent inverts the approach by attaching the imaging device to the moving target itself. The target becomes the active element carrying the camera and markers remain passive reference points fixed in the environment, thereby reducing infrastructure complexity while maintaining tracking capability.

The tracking system enables self-service by equipping each tracked target with its own imaging device and computational resources. Each target independently captures images, processes them through Visual Odometry algorithms, and determines its own location, eliminating the need for a dense network of centralized Access Points and reducing overall system complexity.