Method and apparatus for providing shadow-based location positioning
View Patent ↗An approach for providing shadow-based location positioning is described. A visual location platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of sensor information associated with at least one device traveling on at least one route to determine at least one pattern of shadows on the at least one route. The visual location platform also causes, at least in part, a comparison of the at least one pattern of shadows against one or more reference patterns of shadows associated with one or more known locations. The service platform further causes, at least in part, an estimation of a location, a direction of travel, or a combination thereof of the at least one device based, at least in part, on the comparison.
1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:
a processing of sensor information associated with at least one device traveling on at least one route to determine at least one pattern of shadows on the at least one route;
a comparison of the at least one pattern of shadows against one or more reference patterns of shadows associated with one or more known locations; and
an estimation of a location, a direction of travel, or a combination thereof of the at least one device based, at least in part, on the comparison;
wherein the at least one pattern of shadows includes lighter and darker sections corresponding to shadows casted on the route by environmental features surrounding the route and sensed by the traveling device.
2. A method of claim 1 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
one or more models of one or more features associated with the one or more known locations; and
a processing of the one or more models to determine one or more shadows cast at the one or more known locations;
wherein the one or more reference patterns of shadows are based, at least in part, on the one or more shadows.
3. A method of claim 2 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
at least one determination of the one or more reference patterns of shadows, the one or more shadows cast at the one or more known locations, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on a time-of-day parameter, a time-of-year parameter, or a combination thereof.
4. A method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more features include one or more buildings, one or more terrain features, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more known locations.
5. A method of claim 1 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
a normalization of the at least one pattern of shadows based, at least in part, on a speed of the at least one device.
6. A method of claim 1 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
at least one determination of the one or more patterns based, at least in part, on a presence or an absence of shadow as indicated by the sensor information.
7. A method of claim 1 , wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:
an estimation of a current location of the at least one device using one or more location services of the device; and
a selection of the one or more reference patterns, the one or more known locations, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the estimation.
8. A method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor information includes, at least in part, light sensor information, visual detector information, or a combination thereof.
9. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,
the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
process and/or facilitate a processing of sensor information associated with at least one device traveling on at least one route to determine at least one pattern of shadows on the at least one route;
cause, at least in part, a comparison of the at least one pattern of shadows against one or more reference patterns of shadows associated with one or more known locations;
cause, at least in part, an estimation of a location, a direction of travel, or a combination thereof of the at least one device based, at least in part, on the comparison; and
wherein the at least one pattern of shadows includes lighter and darker sections corresponding to shadows casted on the route by environmental features surrounding the route and sensed by the traveling device.
10. An apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
determine one or more models of one or more features associated with the one or more known locations; and
process and/or facilitate a processing of the one or more models to determine one or more shadows cast at the one or more known locations;
wherein the one or more reference patterns of shadows are based, at least in part, on the one or more shadows.
11. An apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
determine the one or more reference patterns of shadows, the one or more shadows cast at the one or more known locations, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on a time-of-day parameter, a time-of-year parameter, or a combination thereof.
12. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the one or more features include one or more buildings, one or more terrain features, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more known locations.
13. An apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
cause, at least in part, a normalization of the at least one pattern of shadows based, at least in part, on a speed of the at least one device.
14. An apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
determine the one or more patterns based, at least in part, on a presence or an absence of shadow as indicated by the sensor information.
15. An apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
cause, at least in part, an estimation of a current location of the at least one device using one or more location services of the device; and
cause, at least in part, a selection of the one or more reference patterns, the one or more known locations, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the estimation.
16. An apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the sensor information includes, at least in part, light sensor information, visual detector information, or a combination thereof.
17. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:
processing and/or facilitating of sensor information associated with at least one device traveling on at least one route to determine at least one pattern of shadows on the at least one route;
causing, at least in part, a comparison of the at least one pattern of shadows against one or more reference patterns of shadows associated with one or more known locations;
causing, at least in part, an estimation of a location, a direction of travel, or a combination thereof of the at least one device based, at least in part, on the comparison; and
wherein the at least one pattern of shadows includes lighter and darker sections corresponding to shadows casted on the route by environmental features surrounding the route and sensed by the traveling device.
18. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:
determining one or more models of one or more features associated with the one or more known locations; and
processing and/or facilitating a processing of the one or more models to determine one or more shadows cast at the one or more known locations;
wherein the one or more reference patterns of shadows are based, at least in part, on the one or more shadows.
19. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform:
determining the one or more reference patterns of shadows, the one or more shadows cast at the one or more known locations, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on a time-of-day parameter, a time-of-year parameter, or a combination thereof.
20. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more features include one or more buildings, one or more terrain features, or a combination thereof associated with the one or more known locations.