Method and apparatus for construction and operation of connected infrastructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021271786-A1
Application number	US-202117307496-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 4, 2021
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Sep 2, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Augmented reality apparatus and methods of use are provided with persistent digital content linked to a location coordinates. More specifically, the present invention links a physical location with digital content to enable a user interface with augmented reality that combines aspects of the physical area with location specific digital content. According to the present invention, digital content remains persistent with a location even if visual aspects of the location change.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for accessing digital content associated with a position in a wireless communication area in a region of an infrastructure, the method comprising the steps of:
a. establishing a gross position determination with a location sensor of a Smart Device; b. determining the region comprising the infrastructure and the gross position determination with an application program of the Smart Device; c. determining that the Smart Device has access to an array of reference point transceivers associated with the infrastructure and authorizing communications between the Smart Device and reference point transceivers of the array of reference point transceivers; d. transceiving a first wireless communication between the Smart Device and a first reference point transceiver fixedly located at a first position within the wireless communication area; e. transceiving a second wireless communication between the Smart Device and a second reference point transceiver fixedly located at a second position within the wireless communication area; f. transceiving a third wireless communication between the Smart Device and a third reference point transceiver fixedly located at a third position within the wireless communication area; g. generating positional coordinates for the Smart Device at an instance in time based upon the first wireless communication, the second wireless communication, and the third wireless communication, each wireless communication between the Smart Device and a respective one of the first reference point transceiver, the second reference point transceiver, and the third reference point transceiver; h. generating a direction of interest from the positional coordinates of the Smart Device; i. generating an area of interest comprising the direction of interest; j. generating positional coordinates of a tag at the instance in time; k. associating the digital content with the tag; l. determining that the positional coordinates of the tag are within the area of interest; m. determining that the Smart Device has access rights to the digital content; n. receiving a user input into a dynamic portion of a user interactive interface on the Smart Device, the user input operative to cause the Smart Device to display the digital content; and o. based upon the user input received into the dynamic portion of the user interactive interface, displaying the digital content related to the infrastructure in the user interactive interface.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the location sensor utilizes Global Position System radio signals to determine the gross position determination.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the location sensor utilizes Global Position System radio signals and cellular network signals to determine the gross position determination.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the location sensor utilizes cellular network signals alone to determine the gross position determination.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the array of reference point transceivers comprises more than three reference point transceivers.

6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the array of reference point transceivers forms a self-verifying array of nodes.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the tag is a physical tag comprising a sensor measuring at least a first physical attribute of the infrastructure.

8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the digital content comprises an historical record of measurements of the first physical attribute.

9 . The method of claim 7 wherein a server comprising the digital content performs algorithmic calculations upon the measurements of the first physical attribute to generate a first message to a user as a portion of the digital content.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the first message to the user provides directions for the user to move to a fourth position, wherein at the fourth position the user records a second measurement with an energy receiving sensor of the Smart Device to record an image of a state of the infrastructure.

11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the infrastructure is a bridge.

12 . The method of claim 6 wherein the tag is a virtual tag, wherein the virtual tag associates a communication node with the infrastructure.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the digital content comprises persistent data associated with the virtual tag.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the digital content comprises a second message from a second user to users who gain access to the virtual tag.

15 . The method of claim 12 wherein the Smart Device comprises a connected sensor device, wherein the connected sensor device produces a measurement of a second physical attribute of the infrastructure and wherein the Smart Device communicates data associated with the measurement of the second physical attribute as persistent data to be stored associated with the virtual tag.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein a server comprising the digital content performs algorithmic calculations upon the measurements of the second physical attribute to generate a second message to the user as a portion of the digital content.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the second message to the user provides directions for the user to move to a fifth position, wherein at the fifth position the user records a third measurement with an energy receiving sensor of the Smart Device to record an image of a state of the infrastructure.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the infrastructure is a bridge.

19 . The method of claim 12 wherein the user is presented with a first user interface of the Smart Device, wherein the tag is presented as an icon overlaid on an image generated based on the position and the direction of interest of the user.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the first user interface presents a set of icons each icon at the set of icons presented at a respective location value of both virtual tags and physical tags in the region of the infrastructure.

Assignees

• Middle Chart Llc

Inventors

• Duff Jason E
• Santarone Michael S
• Wodrich Michael
• Pugh Randall
• Kincart Joseph

Classifications

• G06Q90/20

  Destination assistance within a business structure or complex · CPC title

• G06Q30/0643

  graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation · CPC title

• G06Q40/02

  Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance (credit or loans G06Q40/03) · CPC title

• G06Q30/018

  Certifying business or products · CPC title

• G06Q30/0609

  Qualifying participants for shopping transactions (payment transaction verification G06Q20/401) · CPC title