Motion Classification Device

• US 20100171628A1
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thales Holdings UK Plc (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Holdings UK Plc (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Stansfield, Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/521,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20100171628A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/669
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/06 Indicating or recording devices, e.g. for remote indication indicating or recording in general G01D; registering or indicating working conditions of vehicles G07C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging

Abstract

The present invention relates to a motion classification device 14 comprising sensor means 141 for monitoring movements of a targeted object, said sensor means 141 being operable to output motion signals based on said monitored movements, a processing means 147 for processing said motion signals, said processing means being operable to compare said processed motion signals with a set of predetermined values such that an event of said targeted object 12 being moved from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation can be detected by determining the difference between said processed motion signals and said set of predetermined values.

Claims

1. A motion classification device comprising:

sensor means for monitoring movements of a targeted object, said sensor means being operable to output motion signals based on said monitored movements;

a processing means for processing said motion signals, said processing means being operable to compare said processed motion signals with a set of predetermined values such that an event of said targeted object being moved from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation can be detected by determining the difference between said processed motion signals and said set of predetermined values and, wherein said processed motion signals include a set of general spectral insulation classification coefficient being generated based on a spectral magnitude of vector signals.

2. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first mode of operation is any one of:

(i) when said motion classification device is first fitted onto said targeted object; and

(ii) current mode of operation of said motion classification device.

3. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said second mode of operation is any other mode which excludes said first mode of operation.

4. A motion classification device in accordance with any preceding claim wherein said sensor means includes at least one multiple-axis motion sensor.

5. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said multiple-axis motion sensor comprises a plurality of axis-specific motion sensors, said axis-specific motion sensors being orthogonally positioned relative to each other.

6. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 4 or 5 wherein said motion sensor is any one of:

(i) an accelerometer in an inertial measurement unit;

(ii) a gyroscope in an inertial measurement unit; and

(iii) an accelerometer in a vibration unit.

7. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein said processing means includes input terminals connected to said multiple-axis motion sensor, said processing means being operable to receive said motion signals from each motion sensor independently.

8. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein said processing means is operable to sample said motion signals received from said multiple-axis motion sensor into a block of signal samples for each axis.

9. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said processing means is further operable to generate said spectral magnitude of vector signals for at least one frequency component based on said block of signal samples from each axis.

10. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said processing means is further operable to generate a set of classification coefficients based on said generated spectral magnitude of vector signals.

11. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 10 wherein said set of classification coefficients is any one of:

(i) a set of general spectral classification coefficients; and

(ii) said set of general spectral modulation classification coefficients.

12. A motion classification device in accordance with any preceding claim wherein said set of predetermined values is any one of:

(i) a set of fixed predetermined values; and

(ii) a range of predetermined values.

13. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 11 or claim 12 wherein said processing means is operable to further process said classification coefficients.

14. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said processing means is operable to perform a pre-alert routine when said set of classification coefficients is not equivalent to said set of fixed predetermined values as defined in claim 12.

15. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 14 wherein said pre-alert routine includes recording temporal and/or spatial information of said motion classification device.

16. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 12 to 15 wherein said processing means is operable to trigger an alert signal when said set of classification coefficients is not within said range of predetermined values as defined in claim 12.

34. A cargo container including a motion classification device in accordance with any of claims 1 to 33.

35. A method of retrofitting a targeted object with a motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 33, the method comprising the steps of:

installing movement monitoring means for monitoring movement of said targeted object; and

configuring a processing means operable to determine change in monitored movement such that an event of said targeted object being moved from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation can be detected.

17. A motion classification device comprising:

sensor means for monitoring movements of a targeted object, said sensor means being operable to output motion signals based on said monitored movements;

a processing means for processing motion signals, and to determine statistics of said motion signals over a period of time when said motion classification device is in a first mode of operation, wherein said processing means is further operable to compare said processed motion signals with said determined statistics of said motion signals such that an event of said targeted object being moved from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation can be detected by determining the difference between said processed motion signals and said determined statistics of said motion signals and, wherein said processed motion signals include a set of general spectral insulation classification coefficient being generated based on a spectral magnitude of vector signals.

18. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 17 wherein said first mode of operation includes any one of:

(i) when said motion classification device is first fitted onto said targeted object; and

(ii) current mode of operation of said motion classification device.

19. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 17 or claim 18 wherein said second mode of operation is any other mode which excludes said first mode of operation.

20. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 17 wherein said sensor means includes at least one multiple-axis motion sensor.

21. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 20 wherein said multiple-axis motion sensor comprises a plurality of axis-specific motion sensors, said motion sensors being orthogonally positioned relative to each other.

22. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 21 wherein said processing means includes input terminals connected to said multiple-axis motion sensor, said processing means being operable to receive said motion signals from each motion sensor independently.

23. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 20 to 22 wherein said motion sensor is any one of:

(i) an accelerometer in an inertial measurement unit;

(ii) a gyroscope in an inertial measurement unit; and

(iii) an accelerometer in a vibration unit.

24. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 20 to 23 wherein said processing means is operable to sample said motion signals received from said multiple-axis motion sensor into a block of signal samples for each axis.

25. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 24 wherein said processing means is further operable to generate a spectral magnitude of vector signals for at least one frequency component based on said block of signal samples from each axis.

26. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 25 wherein said processing means is further operable to generate a set of classification coefficients based on said generated spectral magnitude of vector signals.

27. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 26 wherein said set of classification coefficients is any one of:

(i) a set of general spectral classification coefficients;

(ii) said set of general spectral modulation classification coefficients; and

(iii) said determined statistics of said output motion signals.

28. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 17 to 27 wherein said statistics of said motion signals include an overall standard deviation of sampled signals of said axes.

29. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 17 to 28 wherein said set of predetermined values is any one of:

(i) a set of fixed predetermined values; and

(ii) a range of predetermined values.

30. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 27 to 29 wherein said processing means is operable to further process said classification coefficients.

31. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 29 or claim 30 wherein said processing means is operable to perform a pre-alert routine when said set of classification coefficients is not equivalent to said set of fixed predetermined values as defined in claim 29.

32. A motion classification device in accordance with claim 31 wherein said pre-alert routine include recording temporal and/or spatial information of said motion classification device.

33. A motion classification device in accordance with any one of claims 28 to 32 wherein said processing means is operable to trigger an alert signal when said set of classification coefficients is not within said range of predetermined values as defined in claim 29.

36. A motion classification device substantially as herein described with reference to any of FIGS. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.

37. A method of retrofitting a targeted object with a motion classification device substantially as herein described with reference to any of FIGS. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.