IP Library Granted Patent US 11,336,867
Granted Patent B2
US 11,336,867 · App. 16/749,262 · Granted May 17, 2022

Method of tracking a mobile device and method of generating a geometrical model of a real environment using a camera of a mobile device

Inventors: Peter Meier (Los Gatos, CA); Sebastian Lieberknecht (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04N7/185G06T7/251G06T7/579G06T7/70G06T17/10G06T2207/10016G06T2207/30244G06T2207/30264
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,336,867
App. No.
16/749,262
Granted
May 17, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of tracking a mobile device comprising at least one camera in a real environment comprises the steps of receiving image information associated with at least one image captured by the at least one camera, generating a first geometrical model of at least part of the real environment based on environmental data or mobile system state data acquired in an acquisition process by at least one sensor of a mobile system, which is different from the mobile device, and performing a tracking process based on the image information associated with the at least one image and at least partially according to the first geometrical model, wherein the tracking process determines at least one parameter of a pose of the mobile device relative to the real environment. The invention is also related to a method of generating a geometrical model of at least part of a real environment using image information from at least one camera of a mobile device.

Claims (31)

1. A method of initializing an augmented reality system, comprising:

obtaining, by a mobile device, environmental data for a real environment captured by one or more sensors of a vehicle, wherein the environmental data is obtained while the mobile device is conveyed by the vehicle, and wherein the environmental data is obtained in accordance with a determination that the mobile device moves inconsistently with the vehicle;

generating a reference geometrical model of at least part of the real environment based on the environmental data, wherein the reference geometrical model is generated using a motion of the vehicle that is more constrained than a motion of the mobile device;

determining a pose of the mobile device based on the reference geometrical model; and

tracking the mobile device based on a vision-based tracking procedure utilizing the determined pose and the reference geometrical model, wherein the vision-based tracking system tracks the mobile device based on additional environmental data received by one or more sensors of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference geometrical model is generated based on the environmental data from a plurality of sensors and vehicle status information associated with the environmental data.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the vehicle status information comprises at least one of a speed of the vehicle or a steering direction of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vision-based tracking procedure is based on Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (“SLAM”).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference geometrical model is generated based on the environmental data from a plurality of sensors and predetermined spatial relationships between the plurality of sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vision-based tracking procedure is initialized as part of an augmented reality application on the mobile device.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable code executable by one or more processors to:

obtain, by a mobile device, environmental data for a real environment captured by one or more sensors of a vehicle, wherein the environmental data is obtained while the mobile device is conveyed by the vehicle, and wherein the environmental data is obtained in accordance with a determination that the mobile device moves inconsistently with the vehicle;

generate a reference geometrical model of at least part of the real environment based on the environmental data, wherein the reference geometrical model is generated using a motion of the vehicle that is more constrained than a motion of the mobile device;

determine a pose of the mobile device based on the reference geometrical model; and

track the mobile device based on a vision-based tracking procedure utilizing the determined pose and the reference geometrical model, wherein the vision-based tracking system tracks the mobile device based on additional environmental data received by one or more sensors of the mobile device.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the reference geometrical model is generated based on the environmental data from a plurality of sensors and vehicle status information associated with the environmental data.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle status information comprises at least one of a speed of the vehicle or a steering direction of the vehicle.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the vision-based tracking procedure is based on Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (“SLAM”).

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the reference geometrical model is generated based on the environmental data from a plurality of sensors and predetermined spatial relationships between the plurality of sensors.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the vision-based tracking procedure is initialized as part of an augmented reality application on the mobile device.

13. A system for vision-based tracking, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer readable media comprising computer readable code executable by the one or more processors to:

obtain, by a mobile device, environmental data for a real environment captured by one or more sensors of a vehicle, wherein the environmental data is obtained while the mobile device is conveyed by the vehicle, and wherein the environmental data is obtained in accordance with a determination that the mobile device moves inconsistently with the vehicle,

generate a reference geometrical model of at least part of the real environment based on the environmental data, wherein the reference geometrical model is generated using a motion of the vehicle that is more constrained than a motion of the mobile device,

determine a pose of the mobile device based on the reference geometrical model, and

track the mobile device based on a vision-based tracking procedure utilizing the determined pose and the reference geometrical model, wherein the vision-based tracking system tracks the mobile device based on additional environmental data received by one or more sensors of the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the reference geometrical model is generated based on the environmental data from a plurality of sensors and vehicle status information associated with the environmental data.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle status information comprises at least one of a speed of the vehicle or a steering direction of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the vision-based tracking procedure is based on Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (“SLAM”).

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the reference geometrical model is generated based on the environmental data from a plurality of sensors and predetermined spatial relationships between the plurality of sensors.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 16180457 · Nov 5, 2018
Continuation 15167391 · May 27, 2016
Continuation In Part PCTEP2013077483 · Dec 19, 2013
Related Publication 20200162703A1 · May 21, 2020
Cited By (14)
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