Pivotable Barrier Status Detection Using Multi-Filter Sensor Fusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in accurately determining the open/close status of a door on a moveable platform, especially when the platform is subjected to varying orientations due to movement, and current solutions involve costly wiring and are prone to damage from rough handling.

Innovation Solution

A sensor device mounted on the door, equipped with an accelerometer and rotation sensor, uses gyroscope data to determine the door's orientation and status, employing infinite impulse response filters to process noisy measurement data and selectively using short and long filters to ensure fast and reliable detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wiring is used to connect sensors to the door status detection system, then the system can detect door status, but the wiring is costly and prone to damage from rough handling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor status detection reliabilityVSAvoidwiring complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical wiring system with a wireless sensor system. Sensors (accelerometer, rotation sensor, gyroscope) are mounted directly on the door and communicate wirelessly with the detection system, eliminating physical wiring that is costly and prone to damage from rough handling while maintaining reliable door status detection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system is self-contained and mounted directly on the door, requiring no external wiring connections. The sensors autonomously detect door status and transmit data wirelessly, making the system independent of complex wiring infrastructure and resistant to damage from rough handling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If traditional sensor systems are used without filtering, then the system is simpler, but measurement data is noisy and inaccurate due to platform movement and varying orientations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor status measurement precisionVSAvoidsignal processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies filtering operations preliminarily to the raw measurement data from sensors before processing. Infinite impulse response filters are used to pre-process the noisy acceleration and rotation data, removing noise caused by platform movement and varying orientations before the data is used for door status determination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces filtering algorithms as intermediary processing steps between the raw sensor measurements and the final door status determination. The filters act as mediators that transform noisy raw data into clean, reliable measurement data, improving precision without requiring changes to the physical sensor hardware

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If a single filter is used to process sensor data, then the processing is faster, but the detection is less reliable under varying environmental conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor status detection reliabilityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the filtering process into multiple independent filter operations applied sequentially to the sensor data. Instead of using a single complex filter, multiple filters process different aspects of the noisy measurement data, with each filter targeting specific noise characteristics, thereby improving overall detection reliability while maintaining efficient processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies filtering beyond what a single filter could achieve by using multiple filters in sequence. This excessive filtering action ensures that all types of noise and environmental variations are addressed, providing robust and reliable door status detection across varying environmental conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides robust and accurate detection of door status irrespective of platform orientation, reducing false events and adapting to varying environmental conditions, while minimizing hardware costs and vulnerability to damage.

Implementation Method 1

A sensor device mounted on the door, equipped with an accelerometer and rotation sensor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAccelerometer: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 2

uses gyroscope data to determine the door's orientation and status

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGyroscope: Gyroscope

Data Source

PatentEP3538847B1Determining an open/close status of a barrier
Publication Date: 2022.05.11 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP3538847B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3538847B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3538847B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

In some examples, a method determines an open/close status of a pivotable barrier on a moveable platform based on selective use of a plurality of different filters for filtering measurement data from a sensor device.