Calibrated hardware sensors for estimating real-world distances

• US 8,886,449 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Vaddadi, Sundeep, Hong, John H., Lee, Chong U.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US13/563,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20130197793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 701/300, 701/532, 382/106, 382/141, 382/291, 382/294, 382/276, 382/128, 382/154, 348/94, 702/159, 702/155
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/028 by measuring lateral position of a boundary of the object G01B11/022, G01B11/024, G01B11/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/02 for measuring length, width, or thickness G01B21/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/22 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4004 of parts of a radar system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided for assisting a user in determining a real-world distance. Hardware-based sensors (e.g., present in a mobile electronic device) may allow for a fast low-power determination of distances. In one embodiment, one or more telemetry-related sensors may be incorporated into a device. For example, data detected by a frequently-calibrated integrated accelerometer may be used to determine a tilt of the device. A device height may be estimated based on empirical data or based on a time difference between a signal (e.g., a sonar signal) emitted towards the ground and a corresponding detected signal. A triangulation technique may use the estimated tilt and height to estimate other real-world distances (e.g., from the device to an endpoint or between endpoints).

Claims

1. A method for estimating a real-world distance with a mobile device, the method comprising:

calibrating a tilt-sensitive sensor of the mobile device;

orienting the mobile device toward an endpoint;

estimating a height of the mobile device;

receiving tilt-related data from the tilt-sensitive sensor;

estimating a tilt of the mobile device based at least in part on the received tilt-related data;

emitting, from the mobile device, a first signal;

detecting a reflected signal; and

estimating, via the mobile device, a multi-dimensional distance between the mobile device and an endpoint,

wherein the estimated multi-dimensional distance is based on the reflected signal, estimated tilt and estimated height.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second tilt-related data from the tilt-sensitive sensor;

estimating a second tilt of the mobile device based on the received tilt-related data;

emitting a second signal to a second endpoint;

detecting a second reflected signal; and

estimating a second multi-dimensional distance between the mobile device and a second endpoint based on the second reflected signal, estimated tilt and estimated height.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

estimating, a device-independent distance between the first and second endpoints based on the estimated multi-dimensional distance and the estimated second multi-dimensional distance.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

re-calibrating the tilt-sensitive sensor prior to each subsequent estimation of other multi-dimensional distances.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the endpoint comprises a ground-level endpoint.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

emitting a third signal towards a second endpoint, the second endpoint predicted to be directly below a signal-emitting component of the mobile device;

detecting a fourth signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first signal and the second signal each comprise a sonar signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein calibrating the tilt-sensitive sensor comprises:

receiving first calibration data, the first calibration data being different from the tilt-related data;

associating the first calibration data with a horizontal orientation of the mobile device;

receiving second calibration data, the second calibration data being different from the tilt-related data and from the first calibration data; and

associating the second calibration data with a vertical orientation of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the tilt-sensitive sensor comprises an accelerometer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising illuminating the endpoint with a laser beam prior to estimating the distance.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in its entirety on the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular phone.

13. A system for estimating a real-world distance, the system comprising:

a height estimator for estimating a height of the mobile device, the estimated height being relative to a ground level;

a tilt estimator for estimating a tilt of a mobile device and orienting the mobile device toward an endpoint;

a calibrator for calibrating the tilt estimator;

a signal emitter and detector for emitting a first signal and detecting a reflected signal;

a mobile device-to-endpoint distance estimator for estimating a multi-dimensional distance between the mobile device to the endpoint; and

a display for presenting one or more distances,

wherein at least one of the height estimator and the mobile device-to-endpoint distance estimator is coupled to the signal emitter and detector.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a device-independent distance estimator for estimating a distance between the endpoint and second endpoint, the device-independent distance estimator being coupled to the mobile device-to-endpoint distance estimator.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the tilt estimator comprises an accelerometer.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the height estimator is coupled to the signal emitter and detector.

17. A system for estimating a real-world distance, the system comprising:

means for calibrating a tilt-sensitive sensor of a mobile device;

means for orienting the mobile device toward an endpoint;

means for estimating a height of the mobile device;

means for receiving tilt-related data from the tilt-sensitive sensor;

means for estimating a tilt of the mobile device based at least in part on the received tilt-related data;

means for emitting a first signal;

means for detecting a reflected signal; and

means for estimating a distance between the mobile device and an endpoint,

wherein at least one of the means for estimating the height and the means for estimating the distance analyzes a time associated with the reflected signal, and wherein the estimated multi-dimensional distance is based on the reflected signal, estimated tilt and estimated height.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for estimating the height of the mobile device comprise a height estimator accessing an empirical height database.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for receiving tilt-related data comprise the tilt-sensitive sensor, and wherein the tilt-sensitive sensor comprises an accelerometer.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for emitting the first signal comprise a sonar projector.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for detecting the second signal comprise an acoustic transducer.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the time is relative to a second time of an emitted signal corresponding to the reflected signal.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program which executes steps of:

calibrating a tilt-sensitive sensor of a mobile device;

orienting the mobile device toward an endpoint;

estimating a height of the mobile device;

receiving tilt-related data from the tilt-sensitive sensor;

estimating a tilt of the mobile device based at least in part on the received tilt-related data;

causing a first signal to be emitted;

detecting a reflected signal; and

estimating a multi-dimensional distance between the mobile device and an endpoint,

wherein at least one of the estimated height and the estimated multi-dimensional distance is based on the detected reflected signal, estimated tilt and estimated height.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein estimating the distance comprises applying a triangulation technique.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the program further executes a step of:

presenting instructions to orient the mobile device such that a signal-emitting component of the mobile device is oriented towards the endpoint.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the program further executes a step of:

estimating a device-independent distance based on the estimated multi-dimensional distance and an estimated second multi-dimensional distance.