Indoor Device Control Interface Using Visual Positioning and Aiming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in efficiently determining the location and configuring controllable devices within interior spaces, particularly when GPS signals are unavailable, and in providing meaningful descriptive information for these devices without understanding their context.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a mobile computing device that determines location within an interior space using visual positioning and inertial motion, identifies controllable devices by aiming, and generates descriptive information based on the device's context, using a combination of visual and wireless signal-based techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS-based location determination is used, then location accuracy in exterior spaces is improved, but location determination fails in interior spaces where GPS signals are unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces visual positioning system elements (visual features, images, and matching algorithms) as an intermediary method to determine location when GPS is unavailable. The system captures images of interior spaces, extracts visual features, and matches them against a database of pre-captured images to determine device location, thereby mediating between the need for location determination and the unavailability of GPS signals in interior spaces.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive device configuration information is collected, then device context understanding is improved, but data processing requirements and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-capturing and storing images of interior spaces along with their associated device configuration information in a database before actual use. When the device enters an interior space, the system quickly matches the current image against the pre-stored database entries to retrieve configuration information, avoiding the need to process and analyze all possible device data in real-time, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining comprehensive context understanding.
3Reliability
If visual positioning system is implemented, then location determination in interior spaces is improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and pre-processes visual features from interior space images during system setup, storing only the essential feature data and matching information in the database. During actual location determination, the system extracts features from the current image and performs rapid matching against the pre-processed database entries, rather than processing complete high-resolution images in real-time, thereby reducing computational load and processing time while maintaining location determination reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for location-based device control are provided. Example systems and methods include determining a location estimate for a computing device and identifying a controllable device based on the location estimate. Some examples also include determining a relative location of the controllable device with respect to the computing device and triggering display, on the computing device, of a user interface for interacting with the controllable device based on the relative location. Another example system and method includes identifying a controllable device within a physical space based on an aiming direction in which a computing device is aimed, determining an angular offset of the controllable device with respect to the aiming direction of the computing device, and triggering display, on the computing device, of a user interface that indicates the determined angular offset.