Detection of the Occurrence of an Event, Based on Barometric Pressure Measurements

• US 20190124476A1
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Published: 04/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Polaris Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Blaha, JR., Jerome Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 10,602,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/06 by using barometric means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8083 determining direction of source
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02522 The radio-map containing measured values of non-radio values
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02585 at least one of the measurements being a non-radio measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0278 involving statistical or probabilistic considerations G01S5/0252, G01S5/0294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/20 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/16 Actuation by interference with mechanical vibrations in air or other fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/121 Wireless intrusion detection systems [WIDS]; Wireless intrusion prevention systems [WIPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information

Abstract

A technique for detecting the occurrence of an event, and for estimating other event-related information, by analyzing the barometric pressure in the vicinity of one or more wireless terminals. The disclosed detection technique is based on the recognition that the barometric sensor on various wireless terminals, such as smartphones, is capable of measuring very subtle changes in the atmospheric pressure. The disclosed detection technique is also based on the additional recognition of how some of the changes in the atmospheric pressure, as measured by a wireless terminal, correlate to various events that occur within a building or other defined area. For example, the disclosed technique can detect an entry door opening or closing by analyzing a resultant pressure wave having a particular transient that is perceptible by one or more wireless terminals in the area and analyzed by a detection engine.

Claims

1. A method of detecting the occurrence of an event, comprising:

measuring, by a wireless terminal, a first sample of barometric pressure;

generating, by the wireless terminal, a first characterization of a pressure wave in the vicinity of the wireless terminal, based on the first sample;

detecting, by the wireless terminal, an occurrence of an event that is external to the first wireless terminal based on whether a transient is present in the first characterization of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal, wherein the transient has a predetermined characteristic; and

displaying, by the wireless terminal, the occurrence of the event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined characteristic is that the peak amplitude of the transient exceeds, by a predetermined amount, at least one of i) a mean value of and ii) median value of a portion of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the event comprises at least one of i) an opening of and ii) a closing of a particular door of a building.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating, by the wireless terminal, an estimate of location of the wireless terminal;

wherein the detecting of the occurrence of the event is further based on the estimate of location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting of the occurrence of the event is further based on a propagation characteristic of the pressure wave.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the propagation characteristic of the pressure wave is its speed.

7. A method of detecting the occurrence of an event, comprising:

receiving, by a data processing system, a first sample of barometric pressure measured at a first wireless terminal;

generating, by the data-processing system, a first characterization of a pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal, based on the first sample; and

detecting, by the data-processing system, an occurrence of an event that is external to the first wireless terminal based on whether a transient is present in the first characterization of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal, wherein the transient has a predetermined characteristic.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the predetermined characteristic is that the peak amplitude of the transient exceeds, by a predetermined amount, at least one of i) a mean value of and ii) median value of a portion of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the event comprises at least one of i) an opening of and ii) a closing of a particular door of a building.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the detecting of the occurrence of the event is further based on a propagation characteristic of the pressure wave.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the propagation characteristic of the pressure wave is its speed.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving, by the data processing system, a second sample of barometric pressure measured at a second wireless terminal; and

generating, by the data-processing system, a second characterization of a pressure wave in the vicinity of the second wireless terminal based on the second sample;

wherein the detecting of the occurrence of the event is further based on the second characterization of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the second wireless terminal; and

wherein the event is also external to the second wireless terminal.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising generating, by the data-processing system, an estimate of location of the event based on:

i) the first characterization of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal,

ii) an estimate of location of the first wireless terminal,

iii) the second characterization of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the second wireless terminal, and

iv) an estimate of location of the second wireless terminal.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the generating of the estimate of location of the event is further based on a propagation characteristic of the pressure wave.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the propagation characteristic of the pressure wave is its speed.

16. A method of determining the direction in which an event occurred comprising:

receiving, at the data processing system, i) a first sample of barometric pressure measured at a first wireless terminal and ii) an estimate of location of the first wireless terminal;

receiving, at the data processing system, i) a second sample of barometric pressure measured at a second wireless terminal and ii) an estimate of location of the second wireless terminal;

generating, by the data-processing system, a first characterization of a pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal based on the first sample;

generating, by the data-processing system, a second characterization of a pressure wave in the vicinity of the second wireless terminal based on the second sample; and

generating, by the data-processing system, an estimate of the direction in which an event occurred, based on;

i) a relationship of a) a first transient that is present in the first characterization of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal and b) a second transient that is present in the second characterization of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the second wireless terminal, to each other,

ii) the estimate of location of the first wireless terminal, and

iii) the estimate of location of the second wireless terminal;

wherein the event is external to both the first wireless terminal and the second wireless terminal.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the generating of the estimate of direction of the event is further based on a propagation characteristic of the pressure wave.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the propagation characteristic of the pressure wave is its speed.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

determining which door of a plurality of doors in a building was opened, based on the estimate of the direction of the event.

20. A method of determining at least one of the location and direction of an event comprising:

receiving, by a data processing system, i) a first sample of barometric pressure measured at a first wireless terminal and ii) an estimate of location of the first wireless terminal;

generating, by the data-processing system, a first characterization of a pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal, based on the first sample; and

generating, by the data-processing system, an estimate of location of an event that is external to the first wireless terminal based on;

i) the first characterization of the pressure wave in the vicinity of the first wireless terminal, and

ii) the estimate of location of the first wireless terminal.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

determining which door of a plurality of doors in a building was opened, based on the estimate of the location of the event.