Robotic Mapping with Timestamped Pixels for Faster Scan Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous navigation systems face challenges in creating accurate maps due to environmental noise, sensor inaccuracies, and high processing demands, leading to potential navigation failures and collisions.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a processor to associate timestamps with detected objects, initiate and manage tickers for pixels in a map, and control device movement based on sensor signals, optimizing processing power and memory usage by generating scans, creating graphs, and performing scan matching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional mapping methods are used to create accurate environment maps, then mapping accuracy can be improved, but processing time and memory usage increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the environment map into discrete pixels, each with its own independent ticker counter. This allows the system to process and update only relevant portions of the map rather than treating the entire map as a single data structure, reducing overall processing time while maintaining mapping accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-allocates ticker counters to each pixel before mapping begins. This preliminary setup eliminates the need to dynamically create and manage complex data structures during real-time processing, reducing processing overhead and time consumption while preserving mapping precision.
2Measurement precision
If traditional mapping methods are used to create accurate environment maps, then mapping accuracy can be improved, but memory usage increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Each pixel in the map is assigned individual ticker counters and detection flags rather than using a uniform complex data structure for the entire map. This local differentiation allows the system to store only the necessary information for each pixel, reducing total memory consumption while maintaining the precision needed for accurate mapping.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses lightweight ticker counters and detection flags for each pixel instead of heavy, persistent data structures. These simple counters can be incremented and discarded efficiently, reducing memory pressure while still providing the precision needed for accurate environment mapping.
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive sensor processing is performed to detect all objects, then detection accuracy can be improved, but processing power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial processing by only incrementing ticker counters for pixels where objects are actually detected, rather than processing every pixel uniformly. This selective approach maintains detection accuracy for relevant objects while significantly reducing overall processing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Each pixel's ticker counter automatically tracks detection status without requiring continuous external processing. The counter increments only when needed based on actual detections, allowing the system to maintain accurate detection records while minimizing active processing and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for robotic mapping are disclosed. In some example implementations, an automated device can travel in an environment. From travelling in the environment, the automated device can create a graph comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein each node corresponds to a scan taken by one or more sensors of the automated device at a location in the environment. In some example embodiments, the automated device can reevaluate its travel along a desired path if it encounters objects or obstructions along its path, whether those objects or obstructions are present in the front, rare or side of the automated device. In some example embodiments, the automated device uses a timestamp methodology to maneuver around its environment that provides faster processing and less usage of memory space.