Optical Occlusion Detection for Power-Efficient Tracking Emitters
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Spatial tracking techniques for handheld input devices, such as outside-in optical tracking, are resource intensive and wasteful of power due to light emitters being driven regardless of optical occlusion, leading to unnecessary power consumption and heat generation.
Innovation Solution
Implement local optical occlusion detection circuitry to determine if light emitters are occluded, adjusting their operation mode accordingly to conserve power by reducing or ceasing power to occluded emitters while maintaining tracking with unoccluded ones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the constellation of light emitters is driven continuously for spatial tracking, then tracking accuracy is maintained, but power consumption increases and heat is generated unnecessarily when emitters are occluded
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary occlusion detection by monitoring light levels at each emitter location before fully driving the emitter for tracking. This preliminary check allows the system to identify occluded emitters in advance and avoid wasting power on them while maintaining tracking capability with visible emitters
Solution Approach 2:
The driving state of each light emitter is dynamically adjusted based on real-time occlusion detection. The system transitions emitters between active and inactive states according to their visibility status, optimizing power consumption while maintaining spatial tracking accuracy through the subset of visible emitters
2Illumination intensity
If all light emitters are driven at full power, then sufficient light signal is available for tracking, but heat generation increases unnecessarily for occluded emitters
Solution Approach 1:
Each light emitter operates with a locally optimized driving state based on its individual occlusion status. Visible emitters receive full power for adequate light signal, while occluded emitters are kept inactive or operated at minimal power, thereby reducing heat generation at specific locations without compromising overall tracking performance
3Reliability
If the constellation of light emitters is driven independent of occlusion status, then tracking coverage is maintained, but synchronization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where occlusion detection results directly influence the driving control of light emitters. This closed-loop control ensures that only visible emitters are actively driven for tracking, improving synchronization efficiency between the handheld device and computing system while maintaining reliable tracking coverage through the visible subset of emitters
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
Reduces power consumption and heat generation by selectively driving light emitters based on occlusion detection, enhancing synchronization and efficiency in handheld input devices.
Implementation Method 1
detecting an amount of light via the one or more light detectors
Data Source
AI summary
Present examples are directed to systems and methods for detecting local optical occlusion on a device. Examples are also directed to devices that may detect local optical occlusion. For example, a device may include a first light emitter and a first light detector, and the device may determine that the first light emitter of the device is optically occluded by an object outside a housing of the device based on a first amount of light of one or more amounts of light detected via the first light detector.