Mobile Device Leveling via NFC Tag and Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing leveling technologies, both physical and virtual, face challenges such as misplacement, limited functionality, and inconvenience, particularly in indicating vertical, horizontal, or angled levels, and require internet connectivity or manual operation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a mobile computing device with a transmission device, such as an NFC or RFID tag, to provide leveling information through a mobile app that processes sensor data from accelerometers and gyroscopes, offering graphical, audible, and haptic feedback for accurate object leveling, alignment, and positioning, with augmented reality features for enhanced usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a physical leveling tool is used, then leveling indication is provided, but the tool gets misplaced or is too small/long for the application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the physical leveling tool by implementing virtual level functionality within a mobile application. The app replicates the bubble level indication on the smartphone screen, eliminating the need for a separate physical tool and preventing misplacement issues while maintaining the core leveling indication function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the leveling tool functionality directly into the mobile device itself. By combining the accelerometer sensor, processing unit, and display into a single integrated mobile application, the system eliminates the need for separate physical leveling tools and enables the device to serve multiple purposes including communication, computing, and leveling.
2Ease of operation
If a virtual level app is used, then convenience is improved, but internet bandwidth is required or operation becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by storing level indication functionality and sensor processing capabilities within the mobile device itself before operation is needed. The application contains all necessary algorithms and interfaces ready to use, eliminating the need for internet connectivity during operation and ensuring reliable offline functionality.
3Measurement precision
If traditional bubble level is used, then horizontal/vertical/45-degree level indication is provided, but functionality is limited to these specific angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static, fixed-angle bubble level indications to dynamic, real-time digital level indicators that can display any angle continuously. The mobile application processes accelerometer data to provide live feedback on horizontal, vertical, and angled positions, enabling versatile measurement across the full range of motion rather than being limited to predetermined angles.
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 convenient, accurate, and internet-independent leveling, alignment, and positioning of objects, reducing errors and improving user experience by providing automatic app activation and customizable graphical interfaces, suitable for various applications including furniture, decorations, and inventory management.
Implementation Method 1
The mobile app can access information from a three-axis accelerometer and/or other sensors configured with the smartphone and generate a digital representation of a level on the smartphone's display screen.
Implementation Method 2
provide, via the graphical user interface as a function of the at least one of the accelerometer and the gyroscope, a representation that the mobile computing device is determined to be level
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method provide for processing, by a mobile computing device, information received from a transmission device to identify the transmission device, an object, or the transmission device and the object, wherein the transmission device is configured to be coupled to or embedded within the object. The mobile computing device provides, as a function of the at least one of the accelerometer and the gyroscope, a representation that the mobile computing device is determined to be level, wherein the representation that the mobile computing device is level is usable to level the object.