Indoor Mapping Using IMU Tracking Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional approaches for pedestrian dead reckoning are inadequate in indoor spaces due to the unavailability of map data and unreliable GPS data, making navigation challenging.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using inertial measurement unit (IMU) tracking data from wearable devices to generate and refine maps of indoor spaces by identifying common travel paths and adjusting boundaries based on user data, even in the absence of accurate GPS information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If GPS data is used for positioning in indoor spaces, then outdoor navigation accuracy is maintained, but indoor positioning reliability deteriorates due to signal unavailability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mapping system that translates IMU tracking data into map boundaries and paths of common travel. This intermediary layer converts raw inertial data into structured navigation information, enabling reliable indoor positioning without direct GPS dependency. The mapping system acts as a mediator between the IMU sensor and the navigation application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the GPS satellite-based electromagnetic positioning system with an inertial measurement unit-based mechanical sensing system. The IMU uses accelerometers and gyroscopes to track motion and orientation mechanically, substituting the electronic satellite signal dependency with local inertial sensing that functions reliably indoors.
2Measurement precision
If conventional pedestrian dead reckoning is used without map data, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to accumulation of positioning errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing IMU tracking data to identify paths of common travel and establish map boundaries before navigation begins. This preliminary mapping phase organizes raw inertial data into structured spatial information, reducing error accumulation during subsequent navigation tasks without requiring complex real-time processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically generating indoor maps from crowd-sourced IMU data without requiring manual surveying or complex external infrastructure. The paths of common travel are automatically identified from aggregated user trajectories, and boundaries are derived self-organizingly from the data, reducing the need for manual system configuration.
3Measurement precision
If IMU tracking data from multiple users is collected, then map accuracy is improved, but loss of time increases due to data aggregation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges IMU tracking data from multiple users along common travel paths to create a collective map representation. By combining trajectories that follow similar routes, the system amplifies the signal of actual paths while filtering out individual deviations and errors. This merging process improves map accuracy through data aggregation without requiring exhaustive collection from all possible users.
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations include computing devices and related computer-implemented methods for developing and/or refining maps of indoor spaces. Certain implementations include a method including: receiving inertial measurement unit (IMU) tracking data about a plurality of users traversing an indoor space; identifying at least one path of common travel for the plurality of users within the indoor space based upon the IMU tracking data; and generating a map of the indoor space, the map including a set of boundaries defining the at least one path of common travel.