System and method for sensor-driven automatic device interaction

• US 10,367,987 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2018
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smpl Inc.
• Original Assignee: Smpl Inc.
• Inventors: Hennings, Mark Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US16/054,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20190045107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 707600
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/681 Motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time

Abstract

A system and method for sensor-driven automatic device interaction, comprising a sensor aggregator that receives a plurality of sensor data from a plurality of hardware sensors, analyzes at least a portion of the sensor data, determines a sensor threshold, iteratively compares the results of the analysis to the sensor threshold, and directs the operation of a camera based on the results of the comparison.

Claims

1. A system for directing an image capture device based on motion comprising:

a device direction computer comprising at least a processor, a memory, and a plurality of programmable instructions stored in the memory and operating on the processor, wherein the programmable instructions, when operating on the processor, cause the processor to determine a threshold for device direction comprising;

a plurality of hardware sensors;

a sensor aggregator for analyzing sensor data;

a polling module communicatively connected to the plurality of hardware sensors;

a threshold calculator;

wherein the sensor aggregator is operable to a receive a plurality of motion points from the polling module;

wherein the threshold calculator is operable to iteratively;

calculate a weighted average of motion data, using the plurality of motion points, over a last interval, wherein the weighted average is based on a length of the last interval;

calculate a motion threshold;

set a motion threshold based on comparisons the weighted average of motion data to the motion threshold;

directing the device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user database;

wherein the threshold calculator is further operable to;

check for a user profile in the database, the user profile associated to the device;

wherein if the user profile exists, the threshold calculator loads motion threshold configuration information associated to the device;

overriding the motion threshold.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hardware sensors comprises at least an accelerometer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hardware sensors comprises at least a gyroscope.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sensor data is stored, by the threshold calculator, in the database, for future reference.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a digital camera.

7. A method for directing a device comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, at a sensor aggregator, a plurality of motion points from a polling module, the polling module monitoring a plurality of hardware sensors on a device;

(b) calculating, by a threshold calculator, a weighted average of motion data, using the plurality of motion points, over a last interval, wherein the weighted average is based on a length of the last interval;

(c) calculating, by the threshold calculator, a motion threshold;

(d) comparing, by the threshold calculator, the weighted average of motion data to the motion threshold;

(e) if the weighted average of motion data is higher than the motion threshold, repeating the previous steps restarting at step (a);

(f) otherwise, rechecking, by the sensor aggregator the plurality of motion points and comparing, by the threshold calculator, to the motion threshold;

(g) if the rechecked plurality of motion points is higher than the motion threshold, repeating the previous steps restarting at step (a);

(h) otherwise, directing the device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of calculating the motion threshold comprises the steps of:

(c1) receiving, at the threshold calculator, a current elapsed time for the device;

checking, by the threshold calculator, a first elapsed time;

(c2) if the first elapsed time is zero, setting, by the threshold calculator, the first elapsed time equal to the elapsed time;

(c3) otherwise, setting, by the threshold calculator, a previous elapsed time equal to the elapsed time and raising, by the threshold calculator, a motion threshold;

(c4) if the current elapsed time is greater than the previously elapsed time, raising, by the threshold calculator, the motion threshold;

(c5) if the first elapsed time when subtracted from current elapsed time is greater than the motion threshold, finalizing, by the threshold calculator, the motion threshold;

(c6) otherwise, receiving, from the device, a shutter speed setting;

(c7) if the shutter speed is below a prespecified shutter speed threshold, lowering the threshold, and finalizing the motion threshold;

(c8) otherwise, raising the motion threshold, and finalizing the motion threshold.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

checking, by the threshold calculator, for a user profile, the user profile associated to the device;

if the user profile exists, loading, by the threshold calculator, motion threshold configuration information associated to the device;

overriding the motion threshold.