Occupancy Map Updates Using Super Rays to Cut Computation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Constructing and updating occupancy maps from point clouds is computationally expensive, especially when high resolution is required for accuracy in robotic operations, leading to performance trade-offs between speed and precision.
Innovation Solution
The proposed technology uses a 'super ray' concept to update occupancy maps by grouping rays that traverse the same cells, reducing redundant computations and improving update speed while maintaining map accuracy, by generating a mapping line and super ray based on point clouds from sensors and updating cells accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high resolution occupancy maps are constructed to maintain accuracy in robotic operations, then mapping precision is improved, but computation time and processing overhead increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the occupancy map into multiple levels of detail using octree structures, where different regions are represented at different resolutions. Frequently accessed or important regions are maintained at high resolution, while less critical regions use lower resolution representations, thereby reducing overall computation time while preserving mapping precision where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by dynamically adjusting the resolution of map cells based on their importance and accessibility. Critical areas such as narrow passages or regions with high robot traffic are updated and maintained at high resolution, while open spaces use coarser representations, optimizing the trade-off between precision and computation time.
2Manufacturing precision
If high resolution occupancy maps are used to ensure accurate robotic operations, then mapping accuracy is improved, but system performance deteriorates due to increased data processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the occupancy map into hierarchical octree levels, allowing the system to query and update only the necessary portions at appropriate resolutions. This segmentation enables accurate representation of complex environments while maintaining system performance by avoiding unnecessary processing of entire high-resolution maps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by updating only the specific octree cells that are affected by new sensor data, rather than recalculating the entire occupancy map. This selective updating approach maintains mapping accuracy for relevant regions while significantly improving system performance by reducing redundant computations.
3Reliability
If occupancy maps are updated frequently to maintain current environmental representation, then map freshness is improved, but computation overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent updates only the specific octree cells that have changed based on new sensor measurements, rather than performing a complete map update. This partial action approach maintains map freshness and reliability by incorporating new information where needed, while reducing computation overhead by avoiding redundant updates to unchanged regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The occupancy map structure automatically identifies which cells need updating based on ray-tracing results and occupancy probability changes. The system self-determines the minimal necessary updates required to maintain map freshness, reducing computation overhead by eliminating unnecessary processing steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for updates an occupancy map based on a first ray determined from a plurality of rays, as known as a super ray. The method of updating an occupancy map based on grids and octrees includes the step of generating a mapping line based on point clouds obtained from a sensor, determining a super ray by identifying a cell belonging to a plurality of cells forming the occupancy map and traversing an identical cell based on the generated mapping line, and updating the occupancy map by updating a cell through which the super ray corresponding to some of rays related to the plurality of cells forming the occupancy map passes.