Motion Sensor API Layer for Accurate Cross-Platform Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic devices often rely on basic motion sensors like accelerometers for tilt detection, which are insufficient for sophisticated applications, and complex motion sensing design is challenging due to system dependency and raw data processing requirements, limiting the use of more advanced sensors like gyroscopes and complicating porting of motion sensing designs across different hardware platforms.
Innovation Solution
A system and method providing a high-level application programming interface (API) for motion sensing devices that allows for easy development and porting of applications by translating high-level commands into low-level processing of motion sensor data, enabling simultaneous operation of applications with different sampling rate requirements and reducing processing burdens on application processors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If basic motion sensors like accelerometers are used for tilt detection, then device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but measurement precision and reliability are insufficient for sophisticated applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an application programming interface (API) as an intermediary layer between motion sensors and application programs. This API handles the complexity of raw data processing, sensor fusion, and coordinate transformations, allowing applications to access processed motion data without directly dealing with sensor complexity. The API translates high-level application requests into low-level sensor operations, resolving the contradiction by shielding applications from complexity while maintaining access to sophisticated sensor capabilities.
2Measurement precision
If sophisticated motion sensors like gyroscopes are used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of operation increase due to complex data processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the API automatically performs complex operations such as sensor data fusion, coordinate system transformations, and motion interpretation. Instead of requiring application developers to manually handle gyroscope data processing and sensor calibration, the API autonomously manages these tasks. Application programs simply request the motion information they need through standardized interface calls, and the API self-manages the complex processing requirements, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining high measurement precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If motion sensor data is processed at the application software level, then flexibility is improved, but processing time and loss of time increase, and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the API pre-process and prepare motion sensor data in advance of application needs. The API continuously monitors sensor inputs, pre-computes motion transformations, and maintains ready-to-use processed data in memory. When applications request motion information, the data is already prepared and immediately available, eliminating the need for applications to perform time-consuming processing operations. This preliminary preparation maintains application flexibility while dramatically improving processing efficiency and reducing time loss.
4Measurement precision
If motion sensing design is made system-dependent for specific applications, then measurement precision is improved, but adaptability and ease of manufacture worsen due to difficulty in porting across different hardware platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal API that serves multiple functions across different application types and hardware platforms. The API provides standardized interfaces for accessing motion sensor data regardless of the specific sensor configuration or application requirements. It handles diverse sensor inputs from different manufacturers and types (accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers) through a unified processing framework. This universal interface layer enables the same application code to port across different hardware platforms while maintaining measurement precision, as the API adapts to various sensor configurations behind a consistent interface.
Data Source
AI summary
Interfacing application programs and motion sensors of a device. In one aspect, a high-level command is received from an application program running on a motion sensing device, where the application program implements one of multiple different types of applications available for use on the device. The high-level command requests high-level information derived from the output of motion sensors of the device that include rotational motion sensors and linear motion sensors. The command is translated to cause low-level processing of motion sensor data output by the motion sensors, the low-level processing following requirements of the type of application and determining the high-level information in response to the command. The application program is ignorant of the low-level processing, and the high-level information is provided to the application program.