Distance Determination Using Infrared and Distance Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Infrared sensors struggle to provide accurate size and distance measurements of subjects due to varying thermal signatures, which can be similar for different objects at different ranges, leading to ambiguity in identifying specific subjects and tailoring responses.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device equipped with an infrared sensor, a distance sensor, and a controller that uses thermal signatures and distance measurements to determine physical size and location, accounting for environmental variables, and utilizes a look-up table or mathematical functions to correlate thermal signatures with physical sizes and distances, allowing for accurate identification and tailored responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If only an infrared sensor is used to detect thermal signatures, then the device can detect subjects, but it cannot accurately determine distance or physical size due to thermal signature ambiguity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines an infrared sensor and a distance sensor into a single sensor system. The infrared sensor detects thermal signatures while the distance sensor measures distance to the subject. By merging these two sensing capabilities, the system resolves the ambiguity of thermal signatures alone and achieves accurate distance and size determination without requiring a completely separate system.
Solution Approach 2:
The distance sensor acts as an intermediary that provides additional information to resolve the ambiguity of thermal signature detection. By measuring distance independently, the distance sensor enables the controller to calculate physical size from thermal signature data, thereby improving measurement accuracy without directly modifying the infrared sensing mechanism.
2Loss of information
If thermal signature alone is used for subject identification, then detection is simple, but accurate identification of specific subjects and tailoring responses is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from one-dimensional thermal signature detection to two-dimensional identification by adding distance measurement as a second dimension of data. This additional dimensional information enables the controller to distinguish between different subjects more accurately and tailor responses based on both thermal characteristics and spatial position.
3Measurement precision
If the sensor's field of view is limited, then the device can focus on specific areas, but it cannot determine distances to subjects beyond the field of view
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system achieves multi-functionality by combining thermal signature detection with distance measurement capabilities. This universal approach allows the system to determine distances to subjects both within and beyond the original field of view by using the relationship between thermal signature intensity and distance, extending the effective measurement range while maintaining focused detection capabilities.
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
Enables accurate distance determination of subjects beyond the sensor's field of view, distinguishing between objects of different sizes at varying ranges, and tailors device responses such as display settings based on subject proximity and identity.
Implementation Method 1
an infrared sensor to detect a thermal signature of a subject
Implementation Method 2
a distance sensor to determine a distance of the subject
Data Source
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AI summary
In an example, distance determination can utilize an electronic device including an infrared sensor to detect a thermal signature of a subject at a first location and a thermal signature of the subject at a second location, a distance sensor to determine a distance of the subject at the first location from the electronic device, and a controller to determine a physical size based on the determined distance and the thermal signature of the subject at the first location, and determine a distance of the subject at a second location based on the physical size and a thermal signature of the subject at the second location.