IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,322,117
Granted Patent B2
US 12,322,117 · App. 18/645,118 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Tracking in a moving platform

Inventors: Joshua Aidan Elsdon (Zurich, CH); David John McKinnon (Redmond, WA); Salim Sirtkaya (Redmond, WA); Marc Andre Leon Pollefeys (Zurich, CH); Douglas Duane Berrett (Seattle, WA); Yashar Bahman (Seattle, WA); Patrick Markus Misteli (Zurich, CH)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
G06T7/246G06V20/176G06V40/20G06T2200/04G06T2207/10032
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,322,117
App. No.
18/645,118
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of tracking 3D position and orientation of an entity in a moving platform is described. The method comprises receiving data sensed by an inertial measurement unit mounted on the entity. Visual tracking data is also received, computed from images depicting the moving platform or the entity in the moving platform. The method computes the 3D position and orientation of the entity by estimating a plurality of states using the visual tracking data and the data sensed by the inertial measurement unit, where the states comprise both states of the moving platform and states of the entity.

Claims (55)

1. A method comprising:

receiving an entity state and a platform state for an entity on a moving platform;

predicting a next entity state value and a next platform state value at a next time step;

receiving, from an image capture device on the entity, visual tracker data comprising a position and orientation of the entity;

updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value based on the visual tracker data; and

tracking the entity using the updated predicted next entity state value and the updated predicted next platform state value.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving data sensed by an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the entity, wherein the entity is on the moving platform; and

updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value based on the visual tracker data and the received data sensed by the IMU.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving, from another IMU on the moving platform, data sensed by the other IMU,

wherein updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value is based on the visual tracker data, the received data sensed by the IMU, and the data sensed by the other IMU.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

computing a 3-dimensional (3D) position of the entity; and

displaying a hologram outside the moving platform using the computed 3D position and the orientation, the hologram appearing locked to an environment outside the moving platform from a view point of the entity.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hologram is world locked.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entity is a head mounted display worn by a passenger in a vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: tracking the moving platform using the updated predicted next entity state value and the updated predicted next platform state value.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer storage memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations:

receiving an entity state and a platform state for an entity on a moving platform;

predicting a next entity state value and a next platform state value at a next time step;

receiving, from an image capture device on the entity, visual tracker data comprising a position and orientation of the entity;

updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value based on the visual tracker data; and

tracking the entity using the updated predicted next entity state value and the updated predicted next platform state value.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to perform the following operations:

receiving data sensed by an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the entity, wherein the entity is on the moving platform; and

updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value based on the visual tracker data and the received data sensed by the IMU.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to perform the following operations:

receiving, from another IMU on the moving platform, data sensed by the other IMU,

wherein updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value is based on the visual tracker data, the received data sensed by the IMU, and the data sensed by the other IMU.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to perform the following operations:

computing a 3-dimensional (3D) position of the entity; and

displaying a hologram outside the moving platform using the computed 3D position and the orientation, the hologram appearing locked to an environment outside the moving platform from a view point of the entity.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the hologram is world locked.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the entity is a head mounted display worn by a passenger in a vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to perform the following operations: tracking the moving platform using the updated predicted next entity state value and the updated predicted next platform state value.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the entity is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

16. A computer storage memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the following operations:

receiving an entity state and a platform state for an entity on a moving platform;

predicting a next entity state value and a next platform state value at a next time step;

receiving, from an image capture device on the entity, visual tracker data comprising a position and orientation of the entity;

updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value based on the visual tracker data; and

tracking the entity using the updated predicted next entity state value and the updated predicted next platform state value.

17. The computer storage memory of claim 16 , wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to perform the following operations:

receiving data sensed by an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the entity, wherein the entity is on the moving platform; and

updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value based on the visual tracker data and the received data sensed by the IMU.

18. The computer storage memory of claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to perform the following operations:

receiving, from another IMU on the moving platform, data sensed by the other IMU,

wherein updating the predicted next entity state value and the predicted next platform state value is based on the visual tracker data, the received data sensed by the IMU, and the data sensed by the other IMU.

19. The computer storage memory of claim 16 , wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to perform the following operations:

computing a 3-dimensional (3D) position of the entity; and

displaying a hologram outside the moving platform using the computed 3D position and the orientation, the hologram appearing locked to an environment outside the moving platform from a view point of the entity.

20. The computer storage memory of claim 19 , wherein the hologram is world locked.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2024
From: ELSDON, JOSHUA AIDAN; MCKINNON, DAVID JOHN; SIRTKAYA, SALIM; POLLEFEYS, MARC ANDRE LEON; BERRETT, DOUGLAS DUANE; BAHMAN, YASHAR; MISTELI, PATRICK MARKUS
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 067231/0602 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 18317903 · May 15, 2023
Continuation 17246576 · Apr 30, 2021
Related Publication 20240354965A1 · Oct 24, 2024
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