Intelligent Motion Capture Sensor with Adaptive Sampling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motion capture sensors are limited by accuracy, power usage, and functionality, and lack the ability to seamlessly integrate with various equipment and clothing, failing to utilize motion capture data for comprehensive monitoring and analysis across multiple applications.

Innovation Solution

A wireless motion capture sensor system that captures orientation, position, velocity, acceleration, proximity, and strain data, with customizable sensor personalities for specific equipment or clothing, enabling advanced calibration, power efficiency, and data mining capabilities for remote monitoring and analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If motion capture sensors are made more accurate, then measurement precision improves, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveaccuracyVSAvoidpower usage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor system dynamically adjusts sampling rates based on motion intensity and event types. During high-motion events, sampling rate increases to capture detailed motion data, while during low-motion periods, sampling rate decreases to conserve power. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between maintaining measurement accuracy and reducing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters such as sampling frequency, data transmission intervals, and sensor activation states based on detected motion patterns and event significance. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system maintains measurement precision when needed while minimizing power consumption during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If sensor functionality is expanded to capture multiple motion parameters, then measurement capability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidfunctionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The motion capture sensor is designed as a universal platform that can capture multiple motion parameters (orientation, position, velocity, acceleration, proximity, strain) simultaneously using a single integrated sensor unit. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate sensors for each parameter, thereby expanding functionality while actually reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple sensing capabilities are merged into a single integrated motion capture element. The sensor combines accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, and other sensing functions in one unit, allowing comprehensive motion tracking without proportionally increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of information

If sensor data is continuously transmitted for real-time monitoring, then information availability improves, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata availabilityVSAvoidpower usage
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous transmission, the system employs periodic data transmission triggered by specific events or time intervals. Motion data is transmitted when significant events occur (e.g., impacts, falls, goal-scoring motions) or at scheduled intervals, rather than continuously. This periodic approach ensures critical information is captured and transmitted while dramatically reducing power consumption compared to continuous transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor system intelligently determines when data transmission is necessary based on detected motion patterns and event significance. The sensor autonomously decides which data to transmit based on pre-defined criteria, eliminating the need for continuous polling or constant communication, thereby reducing power usage while maintaining information availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2804678B1Intelligent motion capture element
Publication Date: 2018.12.26 BLAST MOTION INC
  • EP2804678B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2804678B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP2804678B1 patent drawingFigure 1B

AI summary

Intelligent motion capture element that includes sensor personalities that optimize the sensor for specific movements and/or pieces of equipment and/or clothing and may be retrofitted onto existing equipment or interchanged therebetween and automatically detected for example to switch personalities. May be used for low power applications and accurate data capture for use in healthcare compliance, sporting, gaming, military, virtual reality, industrial, retail loss tracking, security, baby and elderly monitoring and other applications for example obtained from a motion capture element and relayed to a database via a mobile phone. System obtains data from motion capture elements, analyzes data and stores data in database for use in these applications and/or data mining. Enables unique displays associated with the user, such as 3D overlays onto images of the user to visually depict the captured motion data. Enables performance related equipment fitting and purchase. Includes active and passive identifier capabilities.