METHODS FOR GENERATING AND UPDATING BUILDING MODELS
Systems, methods and instructions for creating building models of physical structures is disclosed. The building model may be a collection of floors defined by outlines containing regions that may be offset relative to a main region, and a collection of connectors. Connectors may have connection points for tracking, routing and sizing. Connectors may indicate elevation changes through georeferenced structural features. Signal elements may also be features that provide corrections when tracking. Feature descriptors are data that describes the structural configuration and signal elements enabling them to be matched to previously collected data in a database. User interface elements assist a user of a tracking device in collecting floor information, structural features and signal features and validating certain collected information based on previously known information. The height of floors may also be inferred based on sensor data from the tracking device.
1 . A method for updating a building model with structural features, comprising:
generating at least one connector as a mobile tracking device traverses a building structure, wherein each connector comprises a plurality of connection points, based on a path of the mobile tracking device;
comparing the at least one connector to a building model to identify a structural feature, and updating the building model with the at least one connector, wherein:
when the structural feature matches an existing structural feature in the building model, the structural feature is updated with information from the at least one connector, and
when the structural feature does not match an existing structural feature in the building model, a new structural feature is added to the building model.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the connector is associated with one or more floors of the building structure.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein connectors are defined by a two- or three-dimensional polygon indicative of a feature or space within the building structure.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing one or more structural features within the building model using descriptor data obtained from sensor data from the mobile tracking device.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein descriptor data represents a fingerprint generated from scans of one or more sensors at a time or location within the building structure.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein descriptor data is indicative of one or more of an entry direction, signal data at a location, and a known structural feature.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the sensor data includes at least one of inertial sensor data, radiofrequency (RF) data, magnetic data, pressure data, Bluetooth data, Wi-Fi data, signal strength data, and ranging data.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising refining a characteristic of the connector based on user input or descriptor data obtained from sensor data.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the characteristic includes at least one of a size of the connector, an orientation of the connector, and a location of a connection point.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural feature includes one or more of an elevator, a ramp, a tunnel, a stairwell, a stair platform, a skywalk, an entrance, an exit, a transition feature, a hallway, an intersection, a room, and an elevation change.
11 . A method for generating a building model, comprising:
collecting sensor data from a mobile tracking device traversing a building structure;
generating at least one connector representing a path of the mobile tracking device, wherein each connector comprises a plurality of connection points;
generating a routing graph comprising the at least one connector, and indicative of a route through a portion the building structure; and
combining a plurality of routing graphs to generate a building model.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
generating descriptor data from the sensor data,
identifying one or more structural features based on the at least one connector and descriptor data; and
adding the structural feature to at least one of the routing graph and the building model.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the structural feature includes one or more of an elevator, a ramp, a tunnel, a stairwell, a stair platform, a skywalk, an entrance, an exit, a transition feature, a hallway, an intersection, a room, and an elevation change.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein descriptor data is obtained at one or more points of interest within or surrounding the building structure.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the point of interest is at least one of a location, an elevation, a floor number, and an area with specific signal strength.
16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one connector is based on the descriptor data.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the routing graph includes comparing the at least one connector to previously identified data, including one or more of connectors, structural features, and building models.
18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: validating a placement of the connector within the routing graph based on user input.
19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: updating at least one of a size, a location, and an orientation of the connector based on user input.
20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising storing one or more of the at least one connector, the routing graph, and the building model in a database.