Landmark navigation for vehicles using blinking optical beacons
US7739034B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 2007 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 14, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D1/0244
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method for landmark navigation employing optical beacons deployed at locations throughout a field of operation of a vehicle. The optical beacons emit or reflect an optical signal at a predetermined blink frequency. The locations of the optical beacons may or may not be known to the vehicle. At least one imaging device on the vehicle, such as a digital camera, captures images in the field of operation, and in particular a pair of image frames such that the time interval between the image frames of the pair is equal to one-half of the blink period of the optical signal. Data is generated that represents a difference frame between two image frames captured by the imaging device. Pixel locations of optical beacons in the difference frame are identified. The position and orientation of the vehicle is determined from data representing pixel locations of optical beacons in the difference frame.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.