Indoors positioning and navigation systems and methods are described herein. In one embodiment, a system for inspecting or maintaining a storage tank includes a vehicle having: at least one sensor for determining properties of a storage tank and a navigation system. The navigation system includes an acoustic transmitter carried by the vehicle and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor configured to at least partially determine a location of the vehicle with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle also includes a propulsion unit configured to move the vehicle within the storage tank, and an acoustic receiver fixed with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle moves inside the storage tank in concentric arcs with respect to the acoustic receiver.

Systems and methods for performing operations based on acoustic locationing are described. An example device includes one or more microphones configured to sense sound waves propagating in an environment. The example device also includes one or more processors and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more memories store instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to recover sound wave information from the sensed sound waves, detect a presence of one or more persons in the environment based on the received sound wave information, determine an operation to be performed by one or more smart devices based on the detected presence of one or more persons, and instruct the one or more smart devices to perform the operation.

A mobile computer may determine it is located in a vehicle or a conveyance based on a measured distance, satellite related positioning information, and a touch input.

A mobile computer may determine it is located in a vehicle or a conveyance based on a measured distance, satellite related positioning information, and a touch input.

A method for inspecting a conduit comprising the steps of: emitting an outgoing signal into the conduit to establish an acoustic plane wave within the conduit; and detecting a reflected outgoing signal from the conduit, wherein the outgoing signal is arranged such that low frequency components contribute to more of the outgoing signal, from a time perspective, than high frequency components.

A method for inspecting a conduit comprising the steps of: emitting an outgoing signal into the conduit to establish an acoustic plane wave within the conduit; and detecting a reflected outgoing signal from the conduit, wherein the outgoing signal is arranged such that low frequency components contribute to more of the outgoing signal, from a time perspective, than high frequency components.

An approach for providing a lower cost real time location system in less trafficked areas of a building. This approach uses on-board audio capabilities of a mobile device to receive a room response trace resulting from a self-generated acoustic signal. By comparing the room response trace to a modeled room response trace, the location of the mobile device is determined.

An obstacle detection apparatus includes a distance measuring sensor, an imaging section, and a control section. Based on a reception result of reception waves obtained by the distance measuring sensor, the control section acquires an estimated reflection position in an illuminated region already irradiated with search waves. Based on the estimated reflection position, the control section recognizes an outer shape of an obstacle. Based on an imaging result obtained by the imaging section, the control section performs image recognition of the obstacle. Based on a recognition result of the outer shape of the obstacle and a result of the image recognition, the control section acquires a relative position, with respect to a vehicle, of a portion of the obstacle in an image captured by the imaging section included in a non-irradiated region ahead of the illuminated region in a vehicle traveling direction.

An obstacle detection apparatus includes a distance measuring sensor, an imaging section, and a control section. Based on a reception result of reception waves obtained by the distance measuring sensor, the control section acquires an estimated reflection position in an illuminated region already irradiated with search waves. Based on the estimated reflection position, the control section recognizes an outer shape of an obstacle. Based on an imaging result obtained by the imaging section, the control section performs image recognition of the obstacle. Based on a recognition result of the outer shape of the obstacle and a result of the image recognition, the control section acquires a relative position, with respect to a vehicle, of a portion of the obstacle in an image captured by the imaging section included in a non-irradiated region ahead of the illuminated region in a vehicle traveling direction.

Indoors positioning and navigation systems and methods are described herein. In one embodiment, a system for inspecting or maintaining a storage tank includes a vehicle having: at least one sensor for determining properties of a storage tank and a navigation system. The navigation system includes an acoustic transmitter carried by the vehicle and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor configured to at least partially determine a location of the vehicle with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle also includes a propulsion unit configured to move the vehicle within the storage tank, and an acoustic receiver fixed with respect to the storage tank. The vehicle moves inside the storage tank in concentric arcs with respect to the acoustic receiver.