Determining user compass orientation from a portable device

• US 8,332,180 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Partridge, Kurt E., Kunze, Kai, Chu, Maurice K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nghiem, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/553,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20110054834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 702/150
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/1654 with electromagnetic compass

Abstract

An orientation-determining system determines a person'"'"'s compass orientation from data generated by one or more sensors embedded within a portable device transported by the person. In some scenarios, the system uses the person'"'"'s initial orientation to calculate an initial orientation delta describing a difference between the person'"'"'s initial orientation and an initial orientation of the device. In other scenarios, the system calculates the person'"'"'s current orientation based on an initial orientation of the device and a known or assumed orientation delta. The system can apply the orientation delta to the device'"'"'s current orientation to determine the person'"'"'s current orientation. The system can update the orientation delta based on any changes to the orientation of the person or the device.

Claims

1. A computer-executable method of determining a current orientation of a person from a portable device transported by the person, the method comprising:

determining, by a computer, a current orientation of the portable device, wherein the computer includes a user orientation logic;

determining a state of the person from sensor data collected by the portable device, wherein the determined state specifies a mode of transportation of the person;

determining the current orientation of the person from the current orientation of the portable device and the determined state of the person, wherein the current orientation of the person is a torso orientation; and

wherein, said step of determining the current orientation of the person comprises applying to the current orientation of the portable device a current orientation delta identifying a difference in orientation between the portable device and the person.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the orientation of the person comprises a compass orientation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current orientation of the portable device comprises analyzing data produced by an orientation sensor within the portable device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the current orientation of the person comprises:

gathering data from a location sensor operating within the device; and

analyzing the gathered data to identify a direction of movement of the person.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the current orientation of the person comprises:

gathering data from an acceleration motion sensor operating within the device; and

analyzing the gathered data to identify a direction of movement of the person.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said determining the current orientation of the portable device:

identifying an initial orientation of the portable device;

identifying an initial orientation of the person from movement of the portable device; and

calculating an initial orientation delta as a difference between the initial orientation of the portable device and the initial orientation of the person.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said identifying an initial orientation of the person comprises identifying a direction in which the person is moving.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said determining the current orientation of the portable device:

identifying an initial orientation of the portable device;

detecting a known event of the portable device; and

from the known event, identifying an initial orientation delta as a difference between the initial orientation of the portable device and the person.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said known event comprises activation of the device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said known event comprises use of the device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

calculating a change in orientation of the portable device from the initial orientation of the portable device to said current orientation; and

calculating a current orientation delta from the initial orientation delta and said change in orientation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said determining the current orientation of the portable device comprises identifying a mode of movement of the person and the device; and

said determining the current orientation of the person comprises identifying a subset of sensors within the portable device that produce data from which an orientation delta describing a difference in orientation between the portable device and the person can be calculated.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining the current orientation of the portable device further comprises identifying, from a sequence of locations of the portable device identified by the subset of sensors, a manner in which the portable device is being transported.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of determining a current orientation of a person from a portable device transported by the person, the method comprising:

determining a current orientation of the portable device;

determining a state of the person from sensor data collected by the portable device, wherein the determined state specifies a mode of transportation of the person;

determining the current orientation of the person from the current orientation of the portable device and the determined state of the person, wherein the current orientation of the person is a torso orientation; and

wherein, said step of determining the current orientation of the person comprises applying to the current orientation of the portable device a current orientation delta identifying a difference in orientation between the portable device and the person.

15. A portable electronic device for determining a current orientation of a person transporting the portable electronic device, the device comprising:

an orientation sensor;

a location sensor;

a motion sensor; and

a processor configured to;

collect sensor data generated by one or more of the orientation sensor, the location sensor, and the motion sensor;

determine a current orientation of the portable device from the collected sensor data;

determine a state of the person from the collected sensor data, wherein the determined state specifies a mode of transportation of the person;

determine the current orientation of the person from the current orientation of the portable device and the determined state of the person, wherein the current orientation of the person is a torso orientation; and

wherein, said step of determining the current orientation of the person comprises applying to the current orientation of the portable electronic device a current orientation delta identifying a difference in orientation between the portable electronic device and the person.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

an air pressure sensor;

wherein the processor is further configured to analyze sensor data generated by the air pressure sensor.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

a communication module configured to transmit the sensor data toward an external computing device.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 15, further comprising:

a communication module configured to transmit the person'"'"'s compass orientation toward an external computing device.