JP7194144B2 - Information processing device, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program.

In recent years, a mechanism has been put into practical use that enables positioning of a moving object by using a technology called GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) represented by GPS (Global Positioning System). In GPS positioning, a terminal device receives a radio signal transmitted from a satellite, and the satellite and the terminal device are positioned using the time difference between the timing at which the radio signal is transmitted and the timing at which the radio signal is received. The position of the terminal device is estimated by calculating the distance between . For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an example of a technique for estimating the position of a mobile object using GPS.

JP 2014-25890 A

On the other hand, in situations where positioning of mobile objects is performed using radio signals transmitted from satellites, such as GNSS, in environments covered with shields such as roofs and walls, such as indoors and underground facilities, In some cases, the wireless signal is blocked by the shield, making highly accurate positioning difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to enable positioning in a more suitable manner even under conditions where it is difficult to maintain a state in which radio signals from satellites can be steadily received. .

An information processing apparatus according to the present invention is installed in real space and has a surface for detecting the proximity of a given housing that is oriented in the vertical direction. Acquired from a reference point arranged so as to extend along the reference point when the housing approaches the reference point in a state where the relative posture of the housing with respect to the reference point satisfies a predetermined condition. a first acquisition means for acquiring by calculating based on information relating to the absolute position and orientation of the reference point in real space; and second information corresponding to changes in the relative position of the housing relative to the housing indicated by the second information on the basis of the absolute position and orientation of the housing according to the first information; estimating means for estimating an absolute position of the housing in real space at the timing when a change in the physical position is detected , wherein the reference point is a plurality of planes for detecting the proximity of the housing. The first acquisition means arranged side by side acquires the information obtained by the housing approaching each of the plurality of surfaces within a predetermined period of time, the It is evaluated whether or not the posture of the housing satisfies the predetermined condition .

According to the present invention, it is possible to perform positioning in a more suitable manner even under conditions where it is difficult to maintain a state in which radio signals from satellites can be steadily received.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a technology related to positioning. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a terminal device; FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram relating to the local coordinate system. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for estimating the absolute position and orientation of the housing. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a method for estimating the absolute position of the housing. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a method for estimating the absolute position of the housing. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram regarding determination of a reference point used for deriving absolute coordinates. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the terminal device. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the terminal device. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram regarding an application example of the technology according to the present embodiment.

Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification and drawings, constituent elements having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, thereby omitting redundant description.

<Overview>
First, with reference to FIG. 1, the outline of the technology related to positioning by the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. A terminal device 100 according to the present embodiment is configured to be portable by a user like a so-called smart phone, tablet terminal, or the like. Based on this premise, the terminal device 100 utilizes various sensors and imaging units supported by the housing to determine the position of the housing (in other words, the position of the terminal device 100 itself) relative to each other. change.

As a specific example, the terminal device 100 extracts feature points of an object captured as a subject and a background from each image sequentially acquired according to the imaging results of an imaging unit supported by the housing, and extracts the feature points of the background. The object may be tracked based on the point extraction result. As a result, the terminal device 100 can calculate changes in the relative position and orientation of the housing with reference to the subject corresponding to the extracted feature points.
As another example, the terminal device 100 may calculate changes in the relative position and orientation of the housing based on the detection results of an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, or the like supported by the housing.
Of course, the above is only an example, and the method and the configuration for realizing the method are not particularly limited as long as the terminal device 100 can derive the change in the relative position and orientation of the housing. For example, the terminal device 100 may sequentially calculate the distance between an object in the real space and the housing in chronological order using a ranging sensor supported by the housing. Accordingly, by using the distance calculation result, the terminal device 100 can calculate changes in the relative position and orientation of the housing with respect to the object for which the distance is to be calculated.

As described above, the terminal device 100 sequentially calculates changes in at least the relative positions of the housings along the time series. Then, the terminal device 100 tracks changes in the relative position of the housing (in other words, movement path) in chronological order, thereby allowing the terminal device 100 to track the position of the housing in the local coordinate system internally managed by the terminal device 100. Estimate location.

On the other hand, the axes of the local coordinate system internally managed by the terminal device 100 do not necessarily match the absolute coordinate system in the real space (hereinafter also referred to as "absolute coordinate system"). Moreover, even if the local coordinate system and the absolute coordinate system match, it is difficult for the terminal device 100 to recognize the match between the coordinate systems based only on the information in the local coordinate system.
Therefore, the terminal device 100 estimates the absolute position and orientation of the housing at at least one position on the movement path, and uses the estimation result to calculate the local coordinates for other positions. The position of the housing in the system (relative position) is transformed into a position in the absolute coordinate system (absolute position). Note that, in the following description, the position where the absolute position and orientation of the housing are estimated is also referred to as a "reference point" for convenience.
Specifically, the terminal device 100 uses the absolute position and orientation of the housing at the reference point as a reference, and regarding other points (in other words, other positions) on the route related to movement other than the reference point, The position (relative position) of the housing in the local coordinate system is transformed into the position (absolute position) in the absolute coordinate system. By applying this kind of control, wireless signals from positioning-related satellites can be received steadily, even in environments covered by shields such as roofs and walls (for example, indoors and underground facilities). It is possible to estimate the absolute position of the housing even in a situation where it is difficult to maintain the state of .
Therefore, hereinafter, regarding the technical features of the terminal device 100 according to the present embodiment, in particular, attention will be focused on processing related to estimation of the absolute position of a predetermined housing (for example, the housing of the terminal device 100). I will explain in detail.

<Hardware configuration>
An example of the hardware configuration of the terminal device 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2 , the terminal device 100 according to this embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 210 , a ROM (Read Only Memory) 220 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 230 . Terminal device 100 also includes auxiliary storage device 240 , output device 250 , input device 260 , network I/F 270 and sensor 280 . CPU 210 , ROM 220 , RAM 230 , auxiliary storage device 240 , output device 250 , input device 260 , network I/F 270 and sensor 280 are interconnected via bus 290 .

The CPU 210 is a central processing unit that controls various operations of the terminal device 100 . For example, the CPU 210 may control the operation of the terminal device 100 as a whole. ROM 220 stores a control program, a boot program, and the like that can be executed by CPU 210 . A RAM 230 is a main memory of the CPU 210 and is used as a work area or a temporary storage area for developing various programs.

The auxiliary storage device 240 stores various data and various programs. The auxiliary storage device 240 is implemented by a storage device capable of temporarily or permanently storing various data, such as a non-volatile memory represented by a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). .

The output device 250 is a device that outputs various information, and is used to present various information to the user. In this embodiment, the output device 250 is realized by a display device such as a display. The output device 250 presents information to the user by displaying various display information. However, as another example, the output device 250 may be realized by an acoustic output device that outputs sounds such as voice and electronic sounds. In this case, the output device 250 presents information to the user by outputting sounds such as voice and telegraph. Also, the device applied as the output device 250 may be appropriately changed according to the medium used for presenting information to the user. Note that the output device 250 corresponds to an example of an “output unit” used to present various types of information.

The input device 260 is used to receive various instructions from the user. In this embodiment, the input device 260 includes input devices such as a mouse, keyboard, and touch panel. However, as another example, the input device 260 may include a sound collecting device such as a microphone to collect the voice uttered by the user. In this case, various kinds of analysis processing such as acoustic analysis and natural language processing are performed on the collected sound, so that the content indicated by the sound is recognized as an instruction from the user. Also, the device applied as the input device 260 may be appropriately changed according to the method of recognizing instructions from the user. Also, multiple types of devices may be applied as the input device 260 .

A network I/F 270 is used for communication with an external device via a network. It should be noted that the device applied as the network I/F 270 may be appropriately changed according to the type of communication path and the applied communication method.

The sensor 280 detects various states of the terminal device 100 . The terminal device 100 according to the present embodiment can detect changes in the position and attitude of the terminal device 100 itself (in other words, the housing of the terminal device 100), such as an acceleration sensor or an angular velocity sensor, as the sensor 280. sensor. The sensor 280 outputs information to the CPU 210 according to detection results of various states.

The CPU 210 develops a program stored in the ROM 220 or the auxiliary storage device 240 in the RAM 230 and executes the program to implement the functional configuration of the terminal device 100 shown in FIG. 8 and the processing shown in the flowchart shown in FIG. is realized.

<Technical concept>
3 to 7, an example of the technical concept for the terminal device 100 according to the present embodiment to realize the estimation of the absolute position of the predetermined housing, which has been outlined with reference to FIG. are described below.

First, an example of the local coordinate system internally managed by the terminal device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. In the following, for the sake of convenience, a portable terminal device such as a so-called smartphone or tablet terminal is applied as the terminal device 100, and the terminal device 100 estimates the absolute position of its own housing. .

As shown in the left diagram of FIG. 3 , the terminal device 100 includes a flat plate-shaped housing having a substantially rectangular surface with a long direction and a short direction, and is operated at a desired timing (for example, at startup). ), the local coordinate system is defined based on each direction with respect to the case. Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device 100 defines the short direction of the surface as the “X direction”, the long direction of the surface as the “Y direction”, and the direction perpendicular to the surface as the “Z direction”. ” defines the local coordinate system.
A screen for displaying various information is provided on one side in the Z direction. Therefore, of the Z directions, the direction of the surface on which the screen is provided (also referred to as the “front surface”) is defined as the “+Z direction,” and the direction of the surface opposite to the surface (also referred to as the “back surface”) is defined as the “+Z direction.” -Z direction”. In a state in which the longitudinal direction (Y direction) of the screen substantially matches the vertical direction in the real space, and the top-bottom direction of the screen and the top-bottom direction of the vertical direction substantially match, the vertical direction upward The direction corresponding to is defined as the "+Y direction", and the direction corresponding to the lower side is defined as the "-Y direction". In this state, the direction corresponding to the left direction when directly facing the screen is defined as "-X direction", and the direction corresponding to the right direction is defined as "+X direction". That is, it can be said that the coordinate system shown in the left diagram of FIG. 3 is a coordinate system indicating the position of the housing of the terminal device 100 .

The right diagram of FIG. 3 defines the rotation direction in the local coordinate system internally managed by the terminal device 100 . Specifically, the direction of rotation about the Y direction is also referred to as the “roll direction”, the counterclockwise direction viewed from the +Y direction is the “positive” direction, and the clockwise direction is the “negative” direction. ” direction. In addition, the direction of rotation about the X direction is also referred to as the "pitch direction". and In addition, the direction of rotation about the Z direction is also referred to as the "yaw direction", the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the +Z direction side is the "positive" direction, and the clockwise direction is the "negative" direction. and That is, it can be said that the rotating coordinate system shown in the right diagram of FIG. 3 is a coordinate system that indicates the attitude of the housing of the terminal device 100 (in other words, the orientation of the housing).
It should be noted that, in the following description, when simply described as a "local coordinate system", it indicates a local coordinate system internally managed by the terminal device 100, unless otherwise specified. Further, in the following description, coordinates indicating a position in the local coordinate system (that is, relative position) are also referred to as "local coordinates", while a position in the absolute coordinate system (that is, absolute position) is indicated by "local coordinates". The coordinates are also called "absolute coordinates".

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, an example of a mechanism for enabling the terminal device 100 to estimate the absolute position and orientation of its own housing at the reference point will be described. In the present embodiment, the terminal device 100 obtains information about the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190 from the reference point 190 in a state of proximity to the reference point 190 installed at a desired position in the real space. Based on the information obtained, it estimates the absolute position and orientation of its own housing.

Specifically, the reference point 190 includes a communication device for performing so-called non-contact communication represented by NFC (Near Field Communication). In addition, the reference point 190 is set when the terminal device 100 is close to a surface where radio signals are transmitted and received (hereinafter also referred to as a “communication surface”) (in other words, when the housing of the terminal device 100 is close). Then, information about the absolute position and attitude of the communication surface is transmitted to the terminal device 100 by non-contact communication. After that, the terminal device 100 approaches the communication plane of the reference point 190 and estimates the absolute position and orientation of its own housing based on the information transmitted from the reference point 190 . In the following description, the proximity of the terminal device 100 to the communication surface of the reference point 190 is also simply referred to as "the proximity of the terminal device 100 to the reference point 190" for convenience. Also, the absolute position and orientation of the communication surface of the reference point 190 are simply referred to as "the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190".

Note that if the distance at which non-contact communication is possible is a distance that can be tolerated as an error in estimating the absolute position, when the terminal device 100 is close to the reference point 190, the terminal device 100 and the reference point It can be considered that the absolute position is approximately the same as 190 . In other words, in the present disclosure, the proximity between the terminal device 100 and the reference point 190 means that the distance between the terminal device 100 and the reference point 190 is within an allowable range as an error in estimating the absolute position. It can also be said that the distance is within a range where non-contact communication is possible.

In addition, in a state in which the terminal device 100 is relatively close to the reference point 190 in a predetermined posture, control is performed so that the information is transmitted from the reference point 190 to the terminal device 100 based on non-contact communication. may be performed. Accordingly, the terminal device 100 recognizes the absolute orientation of the reference point 190 based on the information transmitted from the reference point 190, and based on the result of the recognition, the terminal device 100 recognizes the absolute orientation of its own housing. can be estimated.

As a specific example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the reference point 190 is positioned so that one of the extending directions of the communication surface substantially coincides with the vertical direction of the real space (in other words, the direction of gravitational acceleration). is installed. Then, in a state in which the terminal device 100 and the reference point 190 are close to each other with the -Y direction of the terminal device 100 substantially matching the direction of the gravitational acceleration, the information is transmitted from the reference point 190 to the terminal device 100. It may be transmitted based on contactless communication. This makes it possible to associate the orientation of the terminal device 100 that is close to the reference point 190 with the absolute orientation of the reference point 190 .
Regarding the mechanism for controlling the information to be transmitted from the reference point 190 to the terminal device 100 in a state where the terminal device 100 is relatively close to the reference point 190 in a predetermined posture An example will be described separately later.

Next, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, based on the information acquired from the reference point 190 when the terminal device 100 approaches the reference point 190, the position of the terminal device 100 at another position on the route related to movement is determined. An example of a method for estimating the absolute position of the housing will be described below. In other words, a method of estimating the absolute position of the terminal device 100 at another timing different from the timing at which the terminal device 100 approaches the reference point 190 based on the information acquired from the reference point 190. It is explained below.
In the example described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the X-axis, Z-axis, and Y-axis in the local coordinate system are associated with the latitude, longitude, and vertical direction in the absolute coordinate system, respectively. Assume that the absolute position of the terminal device 100 is estimated based on the deviation between the local coordinate system and the absolute coordinate system.

First, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the terminal device 100 is based on the position and orientation of its own housing at a desired timing (for example, when it is activated), based on the local coordinate system (that is, the X direction and the Y direction). , and Z direction).
For example, the terminal device 100 can detect gravitational acceleration using an acceleration sensor or the like, and can define the local coordinate system based on the direction of the gravitational acceleration. In this case, the terminal device 100 defines the direction of gravitational acceleration as the -Y direction, and defines the X direction and the Z direction according to the orientation of its own housing on a plane perpendicular to the Y direction. Just do it.
In the example shown in FIG. 5, in order to simplify the explanation, the Y direction coincides with the vertical direction (the direction of gravitational acceleration) in the real space at the predetermined timing, and then the terminal device 100 It is assumed that the X direction and the Z direction are defined according to the posture of the housing. In the example shown in FIG. 5A, the X direction and Z direction in the local coordinate system are shifted in the roll direction with the Y direction as the axis with respect to the latitude and longitude in the absolute coordinate system. do.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5(b), it is assumed that the terminal device 100 is close to the reference point 190. FIG. In this case, directions corresponding to the orientation of the terminal device 100 on the XZ plane are also referred to as "X'direction" and "Z'direction" for convenience.
Specifically, the +X′ direction indicates the direction in which the direction corresponding to the +X direction of the housing of the terminal device 100 in the state shown in FIG. 5(a) faces in the state shown in FIG. 5(b). there is Similarly, the +Z′ direction indicates the direction corresponding to the +Z direction of the housing of the terminal device 100 in the state shown in FIG. 5(a) facing in the state shown in FIG. 5(b). That is, the +Z' direction and the +X' direction are orthogonal on the XZ plane of the local coordinate system (in other words, on the horizontal plane of the absolute coordinate system). In the present disclosure, the horizontal plane in the absolute coordinate system indicates a plane extending in the latitude direction and the longitude direction.
Further, when the direction opposite to the direction in which the terminal device 100 approaches, among the directions perpendicular to the communication plane of the reference point 190, is defined as the "direction of the reference point", the direction opposite to the direction of the reference point substantially coincides with the +Z' direction.

Also, on the horizontal plane of the absolute coordinate system (in other words, on the XZ plane of the local coordinate system), let rBearing be the angle between the direction of the reference point and the latitudinal direction. That is, the angle rBearing indicates the orientation of the reference point 190 on the horizontal plane of the absolute coordinate system.
Also, as shown in FIG. 5B, rAngle is an angle corresponding to the amount of rotation on the XZ plane of the local coordinate system (that is, the amount of rotation in the roll direction) of the terminal device 100 that is close to the reference point 190. do.

Then, in the state shown in FIG. 5B, the terminal device 100 acquires the absolute position and orientation of its own housing based on the information about the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190 obtained from the reference point 190. is estimated. Here, an example of a method for estimating the absolute position and orientation of the housing of the terminal device 100 in the state shown in FIG. 5B will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 6, the angle A is on the XZ plane of the local coordinate system (in other words, on the horizontal plane of the absolute coordinate system) that changes between the state shown in FIG. 5(a) and the state shown in FIG. 5(b). 4 shows angles corresponding to changes in the attitude of the housing of the terminal device 100 in . In other words, it can be said that the angle A represents a change in the posture of the housing of the terminal device 100 in the roll direction.
In this case, the angle rAngle is represented by the relational expression shown below as (Equation 1) based on the angle A. In addition, as described above with reference to FIG. 3, regarding the roll direction, the counterclockwise direction is defined as the positive direction.

Here, refer to FIG. 5 again. FIG. 5(c) shows the absolute position and orientation of the terminal device 100 at another timing using the estimation result of the absolute position and orientation of the terminal device 100 when the terminal device 100 is close to the reference point 190. 4 schematically shows a state in which a realistic position estimation is performed.
In FIG. 5(c), 100-1, 100-2, and 100-3 indicate other timings i=0, i=1, and i= after the timing when the terminal device 100 approaches the reference point 190. 2 schematically shows the position and orientation of the terminal device 100 in FIG. Also, the timing i indicates the timing at which the position of the terminal device 100 is measured (estimated) in the local coordinate system (for example, the timing at which a change in the relative position of the terminal device 100 is detected). In the following description, among the positions on the route along which the terminal device 100 moves, the position at the timing when the position of the terminal device 100 in the local coordinate system is measured (estimated) is also referred to as a “measurement point”.

Let (xi, yi, zi) be the local coordinates of the housing of the terminal device 100 positioned at the measurement point at timing i. Also, the local coordinates of the reference point 190 are represented by (rx, ry, rz), and the absolute coordinates of the reference point 190 are represented by (rLat, rAlt, rLng). Also, the amount of change in latitude and longitude per meter around the absolute coordinates of the reference point 190 is represented by dLat and dLng, respectively.
Based on the above, when the deviation between the absolute coordinate system and the local coordinate system on the horizontal plane is represented by an angle θ as shown in FIG. is expressed by the relational expression shown below as (Equation 2). Further, when the absolute coordinates of the housing of the terminal device 100 located at the measurement point at the timing i are represented by (Lati, Lngi, Alti), Lati, Lngi, and Alti are expressed by (Equation 3) to (Equation 5) are respectively represented by the relational expressions shown.

As described above, the conversion formulas for converting the local coordinates (xi, yi, zi) of the measurement point to the absolute coordinates shown as the above (formula 3) to (formula 5) are derived.
That is, when estimating the absolute coordinates of the terminal device 100, the local coordinates (xi, yi, zi) measured (estimated) for each measurement point are input to the conversion formulas shown as (Equation 3) to (Equation 5) above. Thus, it is possible to derive (estimate) the absolute coordinates (Lati, Lngi, Alti) of the housing of the terminal device 100 at the measurement point.

Note that the reference point is not limited to one location, and may be provided at a plurality of locations. In such a case, the reference point used for deriving the absolute coordinates is determined according to the relationship between the measurement point from which the absolute coordinates are to be derived and each reference point to which the terminal device 100 is in close proximity. may be As a specific example, of the series of reference points to which the terminal device 100 is in proximity, the proximity occurs at a timing closer to the timing at which the target measurement point is located (in other words, the timing at which a change in relative position is detected). The reference points made may be used to derive the absolute coordinates of the measurement points.

For example, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining processing related to determination of reference points used to derive absolute coordinates of measurement points. In FIG. 7 , Pa11 and Pa12 are reference points to which the terminal device 100 is close on the moving route of the terminal device 100 (that is, reference points used to estimate the absolute position and orientation of the terminal device 100). is schematically shown. Each of Pb11 to Pb15 schematically indicates measurement points on the moving route of the terminal device 100. FIG.
Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 7, after the terminal device 100 approaches the reference point Pa11, the measurement points Pb11, Pb12, and Pb13 move along the time series as the terminal device 100 moves. set in order. Further, after the measurement point Pb13 is set, the terminal device 100 approaches the reference point Pa12, and thereafter, as the terminal device 100 moves, the measurement points Pb14 and Pb15 are set in this order along the time series. is set.

Based on the above premise, for example, the absolute coordinates of the measurement point Pb11, that is, the absolute position of the terminal device 100 located at the measurement point Pb11 is derived. In this case, the reference point to which the terminal device 100 approaches at a timing closer to the timing at which the measurement point Pb11 is set is the reference point Pa11. That is, information about the absolute position and orientation of the terminal device 100 estimated at the reference point Pa11 is used to derive the absolute coordinates of the measurement point Pb11.
As another example, it is assumed that the absolute coordinates of the measurement point Pb14, that is, the absolute position of the terminal device 100 located at the measurement point Pb14 is derived. In this case, the reference point to which the terminal device 100 approaches at a timing closer to the timing at which the measurement point Pb14 is set is the reference point Pa12. That is, information about the absolute position and orientation of the terminal device 100 estimated at the reference point Pa12 is used to derive the absolute coordinates of the measurement point Pb14.

The time-series relationship between the measurement point for which the absolute coordinates are to be derived and the reference point from which the information is used to derive the absolute coordinates depends on the timing of the derivation of the absolute coordinates. There is no particular limitation as long as it is within the limits of the restrictions.
As a specific example, after obtaining information about a series of measurement points, if absolute coordinates are derived for some measurement points after the fact, the timing after the timing when the measurement points were set Information on a reference point to which the terminal device 100 is close at other timings may be used.
On the other hand, when the absolute coordinates of the measurement point are derived in real time in accordance with the setting of the measurement point, the reference point to which the terminal device 100 approaches at another timing immediately before the timing when the measurement point is set. information may be used.

The examples described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 are merely examples, and do not necessarily limit the content of the processing related to the estimation of the absolute position of the predetermined housing in this embodiment. That is, based on the absolute position and orientation of the housing of the terminal device 100 at the reference point and the relative position of the housing at each measurement point, the absolute position of the housing at the measurement point is determined. A part of the processing related to the estimation may be changed as appropriate as long as it does not deviate from the idea of estimating.

For example, the method is not particularly limited as long as it is possible to estimate the absolute position and orientation of the housing of the terminal device 100 at the reference point.
As a specific example, when the terminal device 100 can receive a radio signal related to positioning transmitted from a satellite at a reference point, based on technology such as GNSS, absolute positioning of the terminal device 100 at the reference point position and pose estimation may be performed. In this case, the reference point is set to a position in the real space where the radio signal for positioning transmitted from the satellite can be received.
As another example, by capturing images of the terminal device 100 located at the reference point from different directions using a plurality of image capture devices, the absolute Position and pose estimation may be performed. In this case, positions in the real space imaged by a plurality of imaging devices are set as reference points.

Also, as long as it is possible to estimate the relative position of terminal device 100 at each measurement point (that is, the position in the local coordinate system), the method is not particularly limited.
As a specific example, as described above, the feature points of the subject are extracted from the images sequentially acquired according to the imaging results of the imaging unit supported by the housing of the terminal device 100, and the subject is extracted based on the feature points. may be used as a reference to calculate the change in the relative position of the housing.
As another example, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, or the like is used to detect the acceleration or angular velocity acting on the housing of the terminal device 100, and based on the detection result, the change in the relative position of the housing is detected. may be detected.

In the above description, the case where the absolute position of the housing of the terminal device 100 is three-dimensionally estimated has been described. On the other hand, it is also possible to two-dimensionally estimate the absolute position of the housing of the terminal device 100 without considering the vertical position. In this case, in the transformation equations shown as (Equation 3) to (Equation 5), 0 may be substituted for rAlt, ry, and yi, which are components in the vertical direction, and then the calculation may be performed.

<Functional configuration>
An example of the functional configuration of the terminal device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 8, particularly focusing on the processing related to the estimation of the absolute position of the predetermined housing. In the example shown in FIG. 8, as described with reference to FIGS. Assume the absolute position and pose of itself in proximity to 190 .
Terminal device 100 includes communication section 101 , detection section 102 , posture evaluation section 103 , and estimation section 104 . Moreover, the terminal device 100 may include a storage unit 150 .

The communication unit 101 detects the proximity of the reference point 190 and establishes contactless communication with the reference point 190 to acquire various information from the reference point 190 through the contactless communication. As a specific example, the communication unit 101 may acquire information about the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190 from the reference point 190 with which contactless communication has been established. Note that the communication device applied as the communication unit 101 may be appropriately changed according to the communication method applied to contactless communication with the reference point 190 .
In addition, the communication unit 101 may acquire information via non-contact communication from the reference point 190 whose proximity is detected in accordance with an instruction from the posture evaluation unit 103, which will be described later. As a result, for example, in a state where the housing of the terminal device 100 is relatively close to the reference point 190 in a predetermined posture, the communication unit 101 acquires information from the reference point 190 based on non-contact communication. control becomes possible.
Then, the communication unit 101 outputs the information acquired from the reference point 190 to the estimation unit 104, which will be described later.
Note that the communication unit 101 corresponds to an example of the “first acquisition unit”. That is, information about the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190 acquired by the communication unit 101 from the reference point 190 corresponds to an example of "first information."

The detection unit 102 detects changes in the relative position of the housing of the terminal device 100 . Further, the detection unit 102 may detect a change in the relative posture of the housing of the terminal device 100 .
As a specific example, the detection unit 102 recognizes the subject by extracting feature points of an object or background captured as the subject in the captured image, and detects changes in the relative position of the housing with the subject as a reference. may be calculated. Also, at this time, the detection unit 102 may calculate a change in the relative posture of the housing with the subject as a reference. Note that in this case, the detection unit 102 may be implemented by an imaging device such as a so-called digital camera.
As another example, the detection unit 102 may detect acceleration acting on the housing of the terminal device 100 and calculate a change in the relative position of the housing based on the detection result. Also, at this time, the detection unit 102 may detect the angular velocity acting on the housing of the terminal device 100 and calculate the change in the relative attitude of the housing based on the detection result. Note that in this case, the detection unit 102 may be realized by various sensors such as an acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor.
Of course, the above is just an example, and the method is not particularly limited as long as it is possible to detect changes in the relative position and orientation of the housing of the terminal device 100. may be changed as appropriate.
Then, the detection unit 102 sequentially outputs at least information according to the detection result of the change in the relative position of the housing of the terminal device 100 to the estimation unit 104 described later. Also, at this time, the detection unit 102 may output to the estimation unit 104 the detection result of the change in the relative posture of the housing of the terminal device 100 .
Note that the detection unit 102 corresponds to an example of the "second acquisition unit". That is, information according to the detection result of the change in the relative position of the housing of the terminal device 100 by the detection unit 102 corresponds to an example of the “second information”.

The posture evaluation unit 103 evaluates whether or not the posture of the housing of the terminal device 100 is a predetermined posture, and makes a predetermined notification to the communication unit 101 according to the result of the evaluation. As a specific example, when the communication unit 101 detects the proximity of the reference point 190, the posture evaluation unit 103 determines whether the housing of the terminal device 100 is in a predetermined posture relative to the reference point 190. may be evaluated. In this case, when the orientation evaluation unit 103 evaluates that the housing of the terminal device 100 is in a predetermined orientation relative to the reference point 190, the orientation evaluation unit 103 instructs the communication unit 101 to You may instruct acquisition of information.

As long as posture evaluation section 103 can evaluate whether or not the housing of terminal device 100 is in a predetermined posture relative to reference point 190, the method is not particularly limited.
As a specific example, the posture evaluation unit 103 detects gravitational acceleration acting on the housing of the terminal device 100, and the direction of the gravitational acceleration substantially coincides with a predetermined relative direction (eg, Y direction) with respect to the housing. In this case, it may be evaluated that the housing is in a predetermined posture relative to the reference point 190 .

As another example, the posture evaluation unit 103 uses a proximity sensor (not shown) supported by the housing of the terminal device 100 to detect the proximity of the reference point 190 to the housing. It may be evaluated that the housing is in a predetermined posture relative to the reference point 190 . In this case, for example, when the proximity sensor detects the proximity of the reference point 190, the proximity sensor is set so that the communication unit 101 can establish contactless communication with the reference point 190. and an antenna for non-contact communication by the communication unit 101 are preferably supported by the housing of the terminal device 100 .

In addition, the posture evaluation unit 103 monitors the detection result of the movement of the housing by an acceleration sensor (not shown) supported by the housing of the terminal device 100, and the variation of the detection result falls within a predetermined range. In this case, the communication unit 101 may be instructed to acquire information from the reference point 190 . By applying such control, in a state where the housing of the terminal device 100 is stationary in a predetermined posture relative to the reference point 190 (that is, a state in which the posture is maintained), the housing can be controlled to estimate the absolute position and orientation of the .

Further, not only the control on the terminal device 100 side, but also the configuration (for example, structural features) on the reference point 190 side, when the terminal device 100 is in a predetermined posture relative to the reference point 190, A mechanism may be provided for close proximity.

As a specific example, a support member may be provided on the side of the reference point 190 to support the housing of the terminal device 100 near the reference point 190 so that it assumes a predetermined posture. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to restrict the posture of the terminal device 100 close to the reference point 190 so as to satisfy a predetermined condition.

As another example, the reference points 190 are arranged side by side along a predetermined direction as a communication surface for non-contact communication (in other words, a surface for detecting the proximity of the housing of the terminal device 100). It may be configured to have a plurality of communication planes. After that, the posture evaluation unit 103 determines the position of the terminal device 100 based on the information sequentially acquired from the reference point 190 as the terminal device 100 sequentially approaches a plurality of communication planes of the reference point 190 within a predetermined period. You may evaluate the attitude|position of a housing|casing. With such a configuration, when the terminal device 100 approaches the reference point 190, the terminal device 100 is slid along a predetermined direction. It is possible to limit the 100 postures so that they satisfy a predetermined condition.

Note that, as described above, when the configuration of the reference point 190 side provides a mechanism in which the terminal device 100 approaches the reference point 190 in a predetermined posture relative to the reference point 190, The posture evaluation unit 103 may not necessarily be provided. Of course, it is also possible to use a combination of the mechanism based on the configuration on the side of the reference point 190 and the evaluation by the attitude evaluation unit 103 described above.

The estimation unit 104 sequentially acquires at least information according to the detection result of the change in the relative position of the housing of the terminal device 100 from the detection unit 102 . Based on the information sequentially output from the detection unit 102, the estimating unit 104 monitors changes in the relative position of the housing of the terminal device 100 in chronological order, thereby estimating the position of the housing in the local coordinate system. to estimate
In addition, the estimation unit 104 stores information corresponding to the estimation result of the position of the housing in the local coordinate system for each detection timing (in other words, each measurement point) by the detection unit 102 in a predetermined storage area (for example, a storage area). It may be managed by storing it in the unit 150).

In addition, when the communication unit 101 detects the proximity of the reference point 190, the estimating unit 104, based on the information acquired from the reference point 190, determines the absolute Perform position and pose estimation. The estimating unit 104 then uses the estimation result of the absolute position and orientation of the housing to determine the relative position (local coordinate system) of the housing at each measurement point according to the detection result of the detecting unit 102. ) to an absolute position (a position in an absolute coordinate system). Since this processing has been described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7, detailed description thereof will be omitted.
Also, the estimation unit 104 stores information corresponding to the estimation result of the absolute position and orientation of the housing of the terminal device 100 based on the information acquired from the reference point 190 in a predetermined storage area (for example, the storage unit 150). may be managed by storing it in the Similarly, the estimation unit 104 may manage information about the absolute position of the housing of the terminal device 100 derived for each measurement point by storing it in a predetermined storage area (for example, the storage unit 150). .

The storage unit 150 is a storage area for storing data and programs for each unit in the terminal device 100 to execute processing. Also, the storage unit 150 may store information and data generated by each unit in the terminal device 100 .
Note that the storage unit 150 may be realized by a storage device built into the terminal device 100, for example. As another example, the storage unit 150 may be realized by an external storage device different from the terminal device 100 . Specifically, the storage unit 150 may be implemented by a storage device externally attached to the terminal device 100, or may be implemented by a storage device connected to the terminal device 100 via a network.

Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 8 is merely an example, and does not limit the configuration of the device for realizing the technical features according to this embodiment. For example, at least part of the functions of the terminal device 100 may be realized by cooperation of multiple devices.
As a specific example, some functions of the terminal device 100 may be realized by another device different from the terminal device 100. FIG. As a more specific example, the communication unit 101, the detection unit 102, the posture evaluation unit 103, and the estimation unit 104 may be provided in different devices. In this case, at least the communication unit 101 and the detection unit 102 are preferably provided on the side of the device that is the target of estimating the position and orientation of the housing. Also, the device provided with the estimation unit 104 corresponds to an example of the “information processing device” in this embodiment.
As another example, the processing load associated with realizing at least part of the functions of the terminal device may be distributed among a plurality of devices. As a more specific example, the processing load of the estimation unit 104 may be distributed among a plurality of devices.

In addition, depending on the method of estimating the absolute position and orientation of a predetermined housing (for example, the housing of the terminal device 100) at the reference point, and the method of detecting the change in the relative position of the predetermined housing at the measurement point. Therefore, at least part of the series of functions of the terminal device 100 may be changed.
As a specific example, when the absolute position and attitude of the terminal device 100 at a reference point are estimated based on a technology such as GNSS, instead of the communication unit 101, radio signals transmitted from satellites are used. A component may be provided for receiving. In this case, any position can serve as a reference point as long as it is possible to receive radio signals from satellites. Therefore, the reference point does not necessarily have to be fixedly set.
Also, other components may be provided in place of the detection unit 102 depending on the method of detecting a change in the relative position of the predetermined housing.

<Processing>
An example of the processing of the terminal device 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9, particularly focusing on the processing related to the estimation of the absolute position of the predetermined housing. In the example shown in FIG. 9, as described with reference to FIGS. Assume the absolute position and pose of itself in proximity to 190 .

In S101, the terminal device 100 determines whether proximity to the reference point 190 has been detected. If the terminal device 100 determines in S101 that proximity to the reference point 190 has been detected, the process proceeds to S102.
In S102, the terminal device 100 acquires information about the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190 from the nearby reference point 190, and estimates the absolute position and orientation of its own housing based on the information. . Since the processing related to the estimation has been described above with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, detailed description thereof will be omitted.
On the other hand, when the terminal device 100 determines in S101 that proximity to the reference point 190 has not been detected, the process proceeds to S103. In this case, the process of S102 is not executed.

In S103, the terminal device 100 detects changes in the relative position of its own housing and monitors the results of the detection in chronological order, thereby estimating the position of the housing in the local coordinate system. . This makes it possible to estimate the position of the housing of the terminal device 100 in the local coordinate system for each detection timing (in other words, each measurement point).

In S<b>104 , the terminal device 100 determines whether information regarding the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190 has been obtained from the reference point 190 . If the terminal device 100 determines in S104 that the information regarding the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190 has been obtained from the reference point 190, the process proceeds to S105. Note that when the information has already been acquired from the reference point 190, in S102, the absolute position and orientation of the housing of the terminal device 100 at the timing when the terminal device 100 approaches the reference point 190 can be estimated. It is being done.
In S105, the terminal device 100 converts the position of the housing in the local coordinate system estimated for the measurement point in S103 into the absolute coordinate system based on the estimation result of the absolute position and orientation of the housing itself estimated in S102. Convert to a position in . This makes it possible to estimate the absolute position of the housing of the terminal device 100 at each measurement point.

On the other hand, if the terminal device 100 determines in S104 that the information regarding the absolute position and orientation of the reference point 190 has not been obtained from the reference point 190, the series of processes shown in FIG. 9 ends.

The terminal device 100 executes a series of processes shown in FIG. 9 at a desired trigger. As a specific example, the terminal device 100 may periodically execute the series of processes shown in FIG. 9 at predetermined timings. As another example, the terminal device 100 may execute a series of processes shown in FIG. 9 based on a predetermined trigger.

<Application example>
An application example of the technology according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the example shown in FIG. 10, a case will be described in which a smart phone held by a user is used as the terminal device 100 according to the present embodiment, and positioning of the smart phone is performed.

A start point P0 illustrated in FIG. 10 schematically indicates the position of the terminal device 100 (smartphone) at the timing when positioning of the terminal device 100 (smartphone) is started. As a specific example, when the user activates an application for realizing positioning of the terminal device 100 installed in the terminal device 100, the terminal device 100 determines the position of its own housing at the timing of activation of the application. Set as the starting point P0.

Next, the user starts moving while holding the terminal device 100, and brings the terminal device 100 close to each of the reference points Pa21, Pa22, and Pa23 arranged on the route during movement in this order. shall be assumed.
Also, Pb21 to Pb25 each indicate a measurement point. Specifically, the relative position of the terminal device 100 is estimated at least once on the route during which the user moves from the starting point P0 to the reference point Pa21 while holding the terminal device 100. A measurement point Pb21 is set in association with the timing at which the measurement is performed. Similarly, measurement points Pb22, Pb23, and Pb24 are set on the route between the reference points Pa21 and Pa22. No measurement point is set on the route between the reference points Pa22 and Pa23, and a measurement point Pb25 is set on the route after the reference point Pa23.

Based on the above assumptions, when estimating the absolute position of its own housing at each measurement point, the terminal device 100 performs the estimation in real time or after the fact. , determine the reference points to which the information applies to the estimate.

Specifically, when the terminal device 100 estimates the absolute position of its own housing at each measurement point in real time, the reference point from which the information used for the estimation is obtained is the target. Restrict to reference points approached in the past before the timing at which the measurement point was set.
In this case, for example, when estimating the absolute position of the housing of the terminal device 100 at the measurement point Pb24, the terminal device 100 approaches before the timing at which the measurement point Pb24 is set. Only the reference point Pa21 is set as a candidate for the acquisition source of the information used for the estimation. After that, the terminal device 100 acquires information acquired from a reference point that has been approached at a timing closer to the timing at which the measurement point Pb24 is set, among the reference points set as candidates, for its own at the measurement point Pb24. Used to estimate the absolute position of the housing. That is, in this case, the information obtained from the reference point Pa21 is used for estimating the absolute position of the housing of the terminal device 100. FIG.

On the other hand, when the terminal device 100 estimates the absolute position of its own housing at each measurement point after the fact, the terminal device 100 limits the reference points from which the information used for the estimation is obtained. First, the series of reference points to which the proximity is performed are candidates.
In this case, for example, even when the terminal device 100 estimates the absolute position of its own housing at the measurement point Pb24, the terminal device 100 uses the approached reference points Pa21, Pa22, and Pa23 for the estimation. Candidates for sources of information to be used. After that, the terminal device 100 acquires information acquired from a reference point that has been approached at a timing closer to the timing at which the measurement point Pb24 is set, among the reference points set as candidates, for its own at the measurement point Pb24. Used to estimate the absolute position of the housing. That is, in this case, the information acquired from the reference point Pa22 is used for estimating the absolute position of the housing of the terminal device 100. FIG.

It should be noted that it is possible to assume a situation in which the terminal apparatus 100 is not approaching any reference point at the timing when the absolute position of the housing of the terminal apparatus 100 is estimated. In such a case, the terminal device 100 may end the processing related to the estimation as positioning impossible.

<Conclusion>
As described above, the information processing apparatus (for example, the terminal device 100) according to this embodiment includes the first obtaining means, the second obtaining means, and the estimating means. The first acquisition means acquires first information about the absolute position and orientation of a given housing (for example, the housing of the terminal device 100) in real space. A second acquisition means sequentially acquires second information corresponding to a change in the relative position of the housing along a time series. The estimating means, based on the absolute position and orientation of the housing according to the first information, at a timing when a change in the relative position of the housing indicated by the second information is detected, Estimate the absolute position of the housing in real space.
With the configuration as described above, according to the information processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent satellites related to positioning from the environment (for example, indoors, underground facilities, etc.) covered with shields such as roofs and walls. It is possible to estimate the absolute position of the housing even in a situation where it is difficult to maintain a state in which it is possible to steadily receive the radio signal.

100 terminal device 101 communication unit 102 detection unit 103 attitude evaluation unit 104 estimation unit 150 storage unit

Claims (8)

First information about the absolute position and orientation of a given housing in real space is stored in a plane installed in real space and arranged such that a surface for detecting the proximity of the housing extends along the vertical direction. Real space of the reference point acquired from the reference point by the housing approaching the reference point in a state where the relative posture of the housing with respect to the reference point satisfies a predetermined condition. a first acquisition means for acquiring by calculating based on information on the absolute position and orientation in
a second acquisition means for sequentially acquiring second information according to changes in the relative position of the housing along a time series;
of the housing at the timing when a change in the relative position of the housing indicated by the second information is detected, with reference to the absolute position and orientation of the housing according to the first information; an estimating means for estimating an absolute position in real space;
with
The reference point is arranged by arranging a plurality of the surfaces for detecting the proximity of the housing,
The first acquisition means determines, based on information acquired by the housing approaching each of the plurality of surfaces within a predetermined period, whether the posture of the housing approaching the reference point is: Evaluating whether or not the predetermined condition is satisfied;
Information processing equipment. 2. The information processing according to claim 1 , wherein information about the absolute position and orientation of said reference point in real space is obtained from said reference point based on non-contact communication between said housing and said reference point. Device. The first acquisition means evaluates whether or not the posture of the housing that is close to the reference point satisfies the predetermined condition, and acquires the first information according to the evaluation result. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein The first obtaining means determines whether the posture of the housing approaching the reference point satisfies the predetermined condition, based on the result of the detection by the detection means for detecting the proximity of the housing to the surface. 4. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , which evaluates whether or not. The first acquisition means acquires the first information when variation in change in relative posture of the housing in proximity to the reference point detected by a predetermined detection means is within a predetermined range. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein The estimating means calculates the absolute position of the housing in real space at the timing when the change in the relative position of the housing indicated by the second information is detected, in combination with the second information. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the estimation is made based on the first information acquired at a timing closer to the timing. An information processing method executed by an information processing device,
First information about the absolute position and orientation of a given housing in real space is stored in a plane installed in real space and arranged such that a surface for detecting the proximity of the housing extends along the vertical direction. Real space of the reference point acquired from the reference point by the housing approaching the reference point in a state where the relative posture of the housing with respect to the reference point satisfies a predetermined condition. a first obtaining step obtained by calculating based on information about the absolute position and orientation in
a second acquisition step of sequentially acquiring second information according to changes in the relative position of the housing along a time series;
of the housing at the timing when a change in the relative position of the housing indicated by the second information is detected, with reference to the absolute position and orientation of the housing according to the first information; an estimation step of estimating an absolute position in real space;
including
The reference point is arranged by arranging a plurality of the surfaces for detecting the proximity of the housing,
In the first acquisition step, the orientation of the housing approaching the reference point is determined based on information acquired by the housing approaching each of the plurality of surfaces within a predetermined period of time. Evaluating whether or not the predetermined condition is satisfied;
Information processing methods. to the computer,
First information about the absolute position and orientation of a given housing in real space is stored in a plane installed in real space and arranged such that a surface for detecting the proximity of the housing extends along the vertical direction. Real space of the reference point acquired from the reference point by the housing approaching the reference point in a state where the relative posture of the housing with respect to the reference point satisfies a predetermined condition. a first obtaining step obtained by calculating based on information about the absolute position and orientation in
a second acquisition step of sequentially acquiring second information according to changes in the relative position of the housing along a time series;
of the housing at the timing when a change in the relative position of the housing indicated by the second information is detected, with reference to the absolute position and orientation of the housing according to the first information; an estimation step of estimating an absolute position in real space;
and
The reference point is arranged by arranging a plurality of the surfaces for detecting the proximity of the housing,
In the first acquisition step, the orientation of the housing approaching the reference point is determined based on information acquired by the housing approaching each of the plurality of surfaces within a predetermined period of time. Evaluating whether or not the predetermined condition is satisfied;
program.

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