IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,243,309
Granted Patent B2
US 11,243,309 · App. 16/656,276 · Granted Feb 8, 2022

Ranging system and ranging method

Inventors: Xin Shi (Shanghai, CN); David Xing (Dover, NJ)
Assignee: NORTHWEST INSTRUMENT INC.
G01S17/89G01C15/002G01S17/86G06F3/14G06T11/206
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,243,309
App. No.
16/656,276
Granted
Feb 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A ranging system includes a terminal device, a ranging apparatus, and an angle sensor disposed in the terminal device or in the ranging apparatus. The ranging apparatus includes a measuring wheel, a rotating shaft disposed on the measuring wheel, and an electronic counter connected to the rotating shaft and configured to obtain distance information, in real time, of a route which the measuring wheel has already traveled. The angle sensor is configured to obtain angle information in real time. The terminal device and the ranging apparatus are configured to transmit data between each other. The terminal device is configured to generate a traveling trajectory diagram of the measuring wheel, in real time, based on the distance information from the electronic counter and the angle information from the angle sensor, and perform optimization processing on the traveling trajectory to generate an optimized trajectory diagram.

Claims (62)

1. A ranging system, comprising:

a terminal device;

a ranging apparatus, the ranging apparatus including a measuring wheel, a rotating shaft disposed on the measuring wheel, and an electronic counter connected to the rotating shaft and configured to obtain distance information, in real time, of a route which the measuring wheel has already traveled; and

an angle sensor disposed in the terminal device or in the ranging apparatus, the angle sensor being configured to obtain angle information in real time;

wherein:

the terminal device and the ranging apparatus are configured to transmit data between each other; and

the terminal device is configured to generate a traveling trajectory diagram of the measuring wheel, in real time, based on the distance information from the electronic counter and the angle information from the angle sensor, and perform optimization processing on the traveling trajectory to generate an optimized trajectory diagram,

wherein the optimization processing on the traveling trajectory comprises:

dividing a plurality of sampling points that form the traveling trajectory into a plurality of sampling point groups, each sampling point group including a pre-configured number of sampling points; and

for each sampling point group, calculating a variance among the angle values of the pre-configured number of sampling points, and removing a stray value from the angle value of each sampling point in the sampling point group.

2. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is further configured to compare a current traveling trajectory of the measuring wheel, in real time, with a predesigned traveling trajectory diagram stored on the terminal device, and output deviation data in response to the current traveling trajectory of the measuring wheel deviating from the predesigned traveling trajectory diagram.

3. The ranging system according to claim 2 , wherein:

the terminal device comprises a storage device configured to store the predesigned traveling trajectory diagram; and

the terminal device is further configured to perform direction and/or distance prompt based on the deviation data to indicate a user to correct the current traveling trajectory of the measuring wheel.

4. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the ranging apparatus further comprises a marker configured to mark on the route of the measuring wheel according to a user instruction or according to a preconfigured rule.

5. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein the angle sensor is an electronic compass disposed in the ranging apparatus and configured to communicate with the terminal device.

6. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein the angle sensor is a gyroscope disposed in the terminal device.

7. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein the ranging apparatus further comprises a holder for fixing the terminal device.

8. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the terminal device further comprises a camera configured to obtain, in real time, a scene image in a traveling direction of the measuring wheel; and

the terminal device is further configured to display the scene image and provide direction and/or distance prompt on the scene image.

9. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device and the ranging apparatus are configured to transmit data between each other through one of:

a wireless communication channel using a Bluetooth, a WIFI, a Zigbee or an RF communication protocol; or

a wired communication channel using an RS232, an RS485, an I2C, an SPI or a CAN protocol.

10. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein:

the ranging system further comprises a cloud server communicating with the terminal device, the cloud server being configured to store and share data sent by the terminal device;

the data sent by the terminal device includes at least one of: the distance information from the electronic counter, the angle information from the angle sensor, and a first traveling trajectory diagram; and

the terminal device is configured to retrieve the predesigned traveling trajectory diagram from the cloud server.

11. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is further configured to: in response to the traveling trajectory diagram containing a closed trajectory, calculate an area of the closed trajectory by meshing the closed trajectory and calculating the area of meshes contained by the closed trajectory.

12. The ranging system according to claim 11 , wherein:

the ranging system further comprises a gravity accelerometer configured to measure a tilt angle; and

the terminal device is further configured to calculate a height at a sampling point according to the measured tilt angle and distance information.

13. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is one of: a smart cellphone, a computer, or a handheld equipment.

14. The ranging system according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is configured to:

generate the current trajectory diagram by connecting the plurality of sampling points, each sampling point being defined by a distance value and an angle value obtained from the electronic counter and the angle sensor; and

generate the optimized trajectory diagram by processing the plurality of sampling points.

15. The ranging system according to claim 14 , wherein the optimization processing on the traveling trajectory performed by the terminal device further comprises:

analyzing a change in the angle values between a first sampling point and a second sampling point being adjacent to the first sampling point;

in response to the change in the angle values being below a pre-configured threshold angle, adjusting the angle value of the second sampling point to the angle value of the first sampling point; and

in response to the change in the angle values being within a pre-configured range about an integer multiples of 45°, adjusting the angle value of the second sampling point so that the change in the angle values is rounded to the integer multiples of 45°.

16. A ranging method, comprising:

obtaining, by an electronic counter, in real time, distance information which a measuring wheel of a ranging device has already traveled;

obtaining, by an angle sensor, in real time, angle information of the measuring wheel, when the measuring wheel is traveling;

transmitting the distance information and the angle information to a terminal device;

processing the distance information and the angle information into trajectory data by the terminal device;

generating, by the terminal device, in real time, a traveling trajectory diagram of the measuring wheel according to the trajectory data; and

performing optimization processing on the traveling trajectory to generate an optimized trajectory diagram, comprising:

dividing a plurality of sampling points that form the traveling trajectory into a plurality of sampling point groups, each sampling point group including a pre-configured number of sampling points; and

for each sampling point group, calculating a variance among the angle values of the pre-configured number of sampling points, and removing a stray value from the angle value of each sampling point in the sampling point group.

17. The ranging method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

comparing a current traveling trajectory of the measuring wheel, in real time, with a predesigned traveling trajectory diagram stored on the terminal device; and

outputting deviation data in response to the current traveling trajectory of the measuring wheel deviating from the predesigned traveling trajectory diagram.

18. The ranging method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

storing the predesigned traveling trajectory diagram in the terminal device; and

prompting direction and/or distance based on the deviation data to indicate the user to correct the current traveling route of the measuring wheel.

19. The ranging method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

marking, by a maker disposed in the ranging device, on a traveling route of the measuring wheel according to a user instruction or according to a preconfigured rule.

20. The ranging method according to claim 16 , wherein performing the optimization processing on the traveling trajectory further comprises:

analyzing a change in the angle values between a first sampling point and a second sampling point being adjacent to the first sampling point;

in response to the change in the angle values being below a pre-configured threshold angle, adjusting the angle value of the second sampling point to the angle value of the first sampling point; and

in response to the change in the angle values being within a pre-configured range about an integer multiples of 45°, adjusting the angle value of the second sampling point so that the change in the angle values is rounded to the integer multiples of 45°.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2019
From: SHI, XIN; XING, DAVID
To: NORTHWEST INSTRUMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 050819/0517 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 201510084983.6 · Feb 16, 2015 · national
CN 201610008470.1 · Jan 7, 2016 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 15503222
Continuation In Part 16656276
Continuation In Part 15547939
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