Method and apparatus for navigational ray tracing

1. A method of navigational ray casting in a computing device, comprising:

obtaining a distance map having a plurality of cells representing respective sub-regions of an environment containing obstacles; wherein each cell defines a minimum obstacle distance indicating a distance from the corresponding sub-region to a nearest one of the obstacles;

selecting an origin cell from the plurality of cells, and setting the origin cell as a current cell, the origin cell corresponding to a candidate localization of a mobile automation apparatus deployed in the environment;

selecting a ray cast direction for a ray originating from the origin cell;

retrieving the minimum obstacle distance defined by the current cell;

selecting a test cell at the minimum obstacle distance from the current cell in the ray cast direction;

determining whether the test cell indicates the presence of one of the obstacles;

when the determination is affirmative, determining a total distance between the origin cell and the test cell;

capturing, via a sensor of the mobile automation apparatus, sensor data indicating an actual distance; and

providing the actual distance and the total distance to a localization filter to determine a further candidate localization.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when the determination is negative, setting the test cell as the current cell; and

repeating retrieving the minimum obstacle distance, selecting a test cell, and determining whether the test cell indicates the presence of one of the obstacles.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the cells defines the minimum obstacle distance as a physical distance value.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the cells defines the minimum obstacle distance as an intensity value.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

responsive to determining the total distance, determining whether further ray cast directions remain to be processed; and

when further ray casting directions remain to be processed, repeating the selecting a ray cast direction, retrieving the minimum obstacle distance, selecting the test cell, and determining whether the test cell indicates the presence of one of the obstacles.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the total distance as an input to a localization filter.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the distance map includes retrieving the distance map from a memory of the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the distance map includes requesting the distance map from a server.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the distance map includes:

retrieving an occupancy map having a plurality of occupancy map cells representing the sub-regions; wherein each occupancy map cell defines whether the corresponding sub-region is obstructed or free; and

generating the distance map from the occupancy map.

10. A mobile automation apparatus, comprising:

a sensor;

a memory storing a distance map having a plurality of cells representing respective sub-regions of an environment containing obstacles; wherein each cell defines a minimum obstacle distance indicating a distance from the corresponding sub-region to a nearest one of the obstacles; and

a navigational controller connected to the memory and configured to:

retrieve the distance map from the memory;

select an origin cell from the plurality of cells, and setting the origin cell as a current cell, the origin cell corresponding to a candidate localization of the mobile automation apparatus in the environment;

select a ray cast direction for a ray originating from the origin cell;

retrieve the minimum obstacle distance defined by the current cell;

select a test cell at the minimum obstacle distance from the current cell in the ray cast direction;

determine whether the test cell indicates the presence of one of the obstacles;

when the determination is affirmative, determine a total distance between the origin cell and the test cell;

capture, via the sensor, sensor data indicating an actual distance; and

provide the actual distance and the total distance to a localization filter to determine a further candidate localization.

11. The mobile automation apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the navigational controller is further configured to:

when the determination is negative, set the test cell as the current cell; and

repeat retrieval of the minimum obstacle distance, selection of a test cell, and determination of whether the test cell indicates the presence of one of the obstacles.

12. The mobile automation apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each of the cells defines the minimum obstacle distance as a physical distance value.

13. The mobile automation apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each of the cells defines the minimum obstacle distance as an intensity value.

14. The mobile automation apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the navigational controller is further configured to:

responsive to a determination of the total distance, determine whether further ray cast directions remain to be processed; and

when further ray casting directions remain to be processed, repeat the selection of a ray cast direction, retrieval of the minimum obstacle distance, selection of the test cell, and determination of whether the test cell indicates the presence of one of the obstacles.

15. The mobile automation apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the navigational controller is further configured to provide the total distance as an input to a localization filter.

16. The mobile automation apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the navigational controller is further configured, prior to storing the distance map in the memory, to generate the distance map.

17. The mobile automation apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the navigational controller is configured, to generate the distance map, to:

retrieving an occupancy map having a plurality of occupancy map cells representing the sub-regions; wherein each occupancy map cell defines whether the corresponding sub-region is obstructed or free; and

generating the distance map from the occupancy map.

18. The mobile automation apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a communication interface; wherein the navigational controller is further configured, prior to storing the distance map in the memory, to request the distance map from a server via the communication interface.