Detecting mount angle of mobile device in vehicle using motion sensors

• US 9,448,250 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pham, Hung A., Menzel, Martin M., Chow, Sunny Kai Pang, Tu, Xiaoyuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US13/913,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20150006099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,200 Days
• Field of Search: 702/93, 702/141, 702/142, 333/56, 324/202, 701/70, 701/472, 701/500
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/38 Testing, calibrating, or compensating of compasses
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 25/005 initial alignment, calibration or starting-up of inertial devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/003 Kinematic accelerometers, i.e. measuring acceleration in relation to an external reference frame, e.g. Ferratis accelerometers G01P15/001, G01P15/16, G01P15/165 take precedence

Abstract

Motion sensors of a mobile device mounted to a vehicle are used to detect a mount angle of the mobile device. The motion sensors are used to determine whether the vehicle is accelerating or de-accelerating, whether the vehicle is turning and whether the mount angle of the mobile device is rotating. The mount angle of the mobile device is obtained from data output from the motion sensors and can be used to correct a compass heading. Data from the motion sensors that are obtained while the vehicle is turning or the mobile device is rotating are not used to obtain the mount angle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining motion data from a motion sensor of a mobile device mounted to a vehicle, where the motion data is obtained while the vehicle is moving;

determining that the vehicle is not turning and the mobile device is not turning;

responsive to the determining, obtaining a subset of the motion data;

obtaining a motion vector from the subset of motion data; and

obtaining a mounting angle from the motion vector,

where the method is performed by one or more hardware processors.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining from the motion data that the mobile device is mounted in the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, where determining that a mobile device is mounted in a vehicle, comprises:

determining that the mobile device is in a mounted state.

4. The method of claim 1, where obtaining a subset of motion data comprises:

obtaining peak acceleration data obtained from a first motion sensor of the mobile device;

comparing the peak acceleration data with angular rate data obtained from a second motion sensor; and

obtaining the subset of motion data according to results of the comparing.

5. The method of claim 4, where obtaining peak acceleration data further comprises:

determining an inflection point in the acceleration data.

6. The method of claim 1, where obtaining a motion vector from the subset of motion data further comprises:

obtaining the motion vector from a locus of acceleration data points obtained over a period of time while the vehicle was moving.

7. The method of claim 6, where the motion vector is obtained from the locus of acceleration data points by fitting a line to the locus of acceleration data points.

8. The method of claim 7, where fitting a line to the locus of acceleration data points includes using regression analysis or a linear model.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correcting a heading generated by the mobile device using the mount angle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

adding the mount angle to a database on the mobile device for use in retrieving calibration data for calibrating a compass heading.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a driver or passenger is driving the vehicle; and

engaging or disengaging one or more functions or applications of the mobile device in response to the determining.

12. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

obtaining motion data from a motion sensor of a mobile device mounted to a vehicle, where the motion data is obtained while the vehicle is moving;

determining that the vehicle is not turning and the mobile device is not turning;

responsive to the determining, obtaining a subset of the motion data;

obtaining a motion vector from the subset of motion data; and

obtaining a mounting angle from the motion vector.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

determining from the motion data that the mobile device is mounted to the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, where determining that a mobile device is mounted in a vehicle, comprises:

determining that the mobile device is in a mounted state.

15. The system of claim 12, where obtaining a subset of motion data comprises:

obtaining peak acceleration data obtained from a first motion sensor of the mobile device;

comparing the peak acceleration data with angular rate data obtained from a second motion sensor; and

obtaining the subset of motion data according to results of the comparing.

16. The system of claim 15, where obtaining peak acceleration data further comprises:

determining an inflection point in the acceleration data.

17. The system of claim 12, where obtaining a motion vector from the subset of motion data further comprises:

obtaining the motion vector from a locus of acceleration data points obtained over a period of time while the vehicle was moving.

18. The system of claim 17, where the motion vector is obtained from the locus of acceleration data points by fitting a line to the locus of acceleration data points.

19. The system of claim 18, where fitting a line to the locus of acceleration data points includes using regression analysis or a linear model.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

correcting a heading generated by the mobile device using the mount angle.