Image-Based Motion Sensor Using Single Color Component Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-cost mobile devices lack practical motion sensing capabilities due to the high cost of G-sensors and Gyro sensors, necessitating an alternative solution for providing motion sensor functions like acceleration, speed, displacement, roll, pitch, and yaw without physical sensors.
Innovation Solution
An image-based motion sensor system that utilizes a camera and processing system to generate motion sensor outputs by analyzing captured images, simulating the functions of G-sensors and Gyro sensors through global motion estimation, edge detection, and transform techniques, allowing for the determination of motion and orientation status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If G-sensor and Gyro sensor are used to provide motion sensing capabilities, then measurement precision and reliability of motion data are improved, but device cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical motion sensors (G-sensor and Gyro sensor) with an image-based motion sensing system. The camera captures images that are processed to extract motion information through techniques like optical flow analysis, feature tracking, and image differencing. This substitutes mechanical sensing components with optical sensing and computational processing, achieving motion detection without expensive physical sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of motion sensor functionality through image processing. By analyzing sequential images and extracting motion vectors, the system replicates the output of physical motion sensors. The image data serves as a proxy that contains embedded motion information, allowing the system to infer acceleration, velocity, and orientation without direct mechanical measurement.
2Ease of manufacture
If physical motion sensors are eliminated to reduce cost, then device cost decreases, but the ability to accurately measure motion and orientation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces images as an intermediary medium between the camera and motion sensing function. Instead of directly measuring physical motion with sensors, the system captures visual information through images and uses image processing algorithms to extract motion characteristics. The images serve as a mediator that contains indirect but sufficient information about device motion and orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the problem from direct physical measurement to visual parameter analysis. By changing from measuring physical quantities directly (acceleration, angular velocity) to analyzing visual parameters (image pixel changes, feature point displacement, optical flow patterns), the system achieves motion sensing through a different physical domain with lower hardware requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An image-based motion sensor has a camera system and a processing system. The camera system generates an image output including a plurality of captured images. The processing system obtains a motion sensor output by processing the image output, and identifies a user input as one of a plurality of pre-defined user actions according to the motion sensor output. Different functions of at least one application performed by one electronic device are controlled by the pre-defined user actions. The motion sensor output includes information indicative of at least one of a motion status and an orientation status of the image-based motion sensor. Each of the captured images has more than one color component, and only values of one single color component are involved in obtaining the motion sensor output.