Systems and methods for augmenting reality during a site survey using an unmanned aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12374212-B2
Application number	US-202017094366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2020
Priority date	Jan 8, 2018
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for augmented reality during an automated site survey of a building using an unmanned aerial vehicle so that results of the site survey are substantially consistent, irrespective of whether the site survey is conducted when the building is bare or after systems and devices in the building are installed. Some methods can include retrieving a building information model of the building from a database device, receiving user input and, responsive thereto, transmitting navigation signals to the unmanned aerial vehicle to maneuver to a site survey position in the building and transmitting command signals to the unmanned aerial vehicle to conduct a RF test at the site survey position and return site survey results, and calculating signal degradation for the site survey position as a function of the site survey results and the building information model.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
retrieving, via a mobile device, building information model (BIM) data of a building under test from a database device;
receiving first user input and, responsive thereto, transmitting navigation signals to an unmanned aerial vehicle to maneuver to a site survey position in the building under test and transmitting command signals to the unmanned aerial vehicle to conduct a RF test at the site survey position and return site survey results;
receiving, via the mobile device, image data taken by an image capture device located on the unmanned aerial vehicle within the building under test, the image data including an image at a site survey position within the building under test;
conducting a radio frequency (RF) test at the site survey position and returning site survey results;
calculating signal degradation for the site survey position as a function of the site survey results, the building information model, and one or more elements determined by at least one of the image data or in the BIM data that have the potential to degrade the signal, wherein the site survey results include a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value obtained at the site survey position by a test device carried by the unmanned aerial vehicle;
combining the BIM data with the image data to create an augmented real world view; and
displaying the augmented real world view of the building under test at the site survey position.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
mapping the RSSI value to the site survey position in the building information model; and
extracting elements in the building information model with a potential to degrade the RSSI value at the site survey position.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising identifying one or more changes to the site survey position to improve the signal degradation of the RSSI value.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the the test device conducts the RF test.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
receiving second user input for identifying a marked location in the building information model corresponding to an installation location for the test device; and
identifying the site survey position based on the marked location.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving third user input to adjust the marked location pursuant to the one or more changes and, responsive thereto, transmitting the navigation signals to the unmanned aerial vehicle to maneuver to the site survey position corresponding to the marked location as adjusted.

7. A method comprising:
retrieving via a mobile device, building information model (BIM) data of a building under test from a database device;
receiving user input and, responsive thereto, transmitting navigation signals to an unmanned aerial vehicle to maneuver to a site survey position in the building under test when the building under test is in a state of completion and transmitting command signals to the unmanned aerial vehicle to conduct a RF test at the site survey position when the building under test is in the state of completion and return site survey results responsive to the RF test at the site survey position when the building under test is in the state of completion;
receiving, via the mobile device, image data taken by an image capture device located on the unmanned aerial vehicle within the building under test, the image data including an image at a site survey position within the building under test;
combining the BIM data with the image data to create an augmented real world view;
displaying the augmented real world view of the building under test at the site survey position; and
calculating signal degradation for the site survey position as a function of the site survey results, the building information model, and one or more elements determined by at least one of the image data or in the BIM data that have the potential to degrade the signal, wherein the site survey results include a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value obtained at the site survey position by a test device carried by the unmanned aerial vehicle.

8. A system comprising:
a transceiver device;
a database device;
a user interface device;
a programmable processor; and
executable control software stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium,
wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software retrieve, via a mobile device, building information model data of a building under test from the database device,
wherein the user interface device receives first user input, and responsive thereto, the transceiver device transmits navigation signals to an unmanned aerial vehicle to maneuver the unmanned aerial vehicle to a site survey position in the building under test and transmits command signals to a test device carried by the unmanned aerial vehicle to conduct a radio frequency (RF) test at the site survey position and return site survey results,
wherein the transceiver device receives, via the mobile device, image data taken by an image capture device located on the unmanned aerial vehicle within the building under test, the image data including an image at a site survey position within the building under test,
wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software calculate signal degradation for the site survey position as a function of the site survey results, the building information model, and one or more elements determined by at least one of the image data or in the BIM data that have the potential to degrade the signal, wherein the site survey results include a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value obtained at the site survey position by the test device;
wherein the user interface device displays an augmented real world view of the building under test at the site survey position; and
wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software combine the image data with the building information model data to create the augmented real world view.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software map the RSSI value to the site survey position in the building information model and extract elements in the building information model with a potential to degrade the RSSI value at the site survey position.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software identify one or more changes to the site survey position to improve the signal degradation of the RSSI value.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the user interface device receives second user input for identifying a marked location in the building information model corresponding to an installation location for the test device, and wherein the programmable processor and the executable control software identify the site survey position based on the marked location.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the user interface device receives third user input to adjust the marked location pursuant to the one or more changes and, responsive thereto, transmits the navigation signals to the unmanned aerial vehicle to maneuver to the site survey position corresponding to the marked location as adjusted.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the user interface device includes a virtual reality wearable headset or glasses or a handheld device.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the transceiver device communicates with the unmanned aerial vehicle and the test device via a first communication medium, and wherein the transceiver device communicates with the user interface device via a second communication medium.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• S R Sasikumar
• M R Gowrishankar
• P Ranjith Kumar
• Joseph Kingslin

Classifications

• H04B17/318 Primary

  Received signal strength · CPC title

• G05D1/2247

  providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras · CPC title

• B64U2101/31

  for surveillance · CPC title

• B64U2101/26

  for manufacturing, inspections or repairs · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title