Nvidia patents method to track 3D movement using simplified LiDAR data
Nvidia describes a technique that simplifies 3D LiDAR data into a 2.5D format to make it easier to process. The system compares two frames of data and uses a mathematical method called belief propagation to figure out how objects have moved between them. These calculated movements are then converted back into 3D to create a map of motion in the environment.
In the filing’s own words
In various examples, systems and methods are described that generate scene flow in 3D space through simplifying the 3D LiDAR data to “2.5D” optical flow space (e.g., x, y, and depth flow). For example, LiDAR range images may be used to generate 2.5D representations of depth flow information between frames of LiDAR data, and two or more range images may be compared to generate depth flow information, and messages may be passed—e.g., using a belief propagation algorithm—to update pixel values in the 2.5D representation. The resulting images may then be used to generate 2.5D motion vectors, and the 2.5D motion vectors may be converted back to 3D space to generate a 3D scene flow representation of an environment around an autonomous machine.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. At least one processor comprising: one or more circuits to: generate a depth flow image indicating one or more changes in depth values between at least two images; update one or more values associated with one or more first pixels of the depth flow image using data corresponding to one or more second pixels of the depth flow image based at least on one or more similarities between the one or more first pixels and the one or more second pixels; compute, based at least on the one or more updated values, one or more motion vectors in image space corresponding to movement between the at least two images; and generate at least one motion field based at least on converting the one or more motion vectors to at least a three-dimensional (3D) space.
Facts
- Company
- Nvidia (NVIDIA Corporation)
- Official title
- Belief propagation for range image mapping in autonomous machine applications
- Patent number
- US12755554B2
- Application number
- 18599719
- Filed
- Mar 8, 2024
- Granted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06V 20/58 Physics & computingG01B 11/22 Physics & computingG01S 17/89 Physics & computingG05D 1/0231 Physics & computingG05D 1/249 Physics & computingG06N 7/01 Physics & computingMore from Nvidia in AI & software
- Nvidia patents AI coach that analyzes your gameplay to suggest strategies Oct 13, 2026
- Nvidia patents AI system that writes and voices character conversations Sep 10, 2026
- Nvidia patents system that uses AI to find bugs in game videos Sep 17, 2026
- Nvidia patents AI method to make digital characters move realistically Sep 8, 2026
- Nvidia patents AI system that builds image generators from text prompts Sep 15, 2026
Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.