Pedestrian Direction Detection Using Sinusoidal Acceleration Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to accurately determine a user's direction of movement due to random noise from shaking or jittering of mobile devices, often approximating direction but not specifying the direction towards which the user is moving.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a processor to determine a user's direction by fitting acceleration signals from a mobile device to a sinusoidal model, accounting for step frequency and noise cancellation, allowing for precise determination of movement direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If acceleration signals are used to determine movement direction, then direction information can be obtained, but random noise from shaking or jittering of the mobile device degrades measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful noise from shaking or jittering into beneficial information by recognizing that such movements create characteristic acceleration patterns. The system analyzes the frequency and amplitude characteristics of the acceleration signals to distinguish between intentional movement (walking, running) and random noise, thereby transforming the harmful effect into a useful indicator for direction determination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer that analyzes acceleration signal characteristics between the raw sensor data and the final direction determination. This intermediary layer applies signal processing techniques such as Fourier transforms and pattern recognition to filter out random noise while preserving meaningful movement information, enabling accurate direction determination despite physical shaking of the device
2Device complexity
If general axis approximation is used to determine movement direction, then computation is simplified, but the ability to determine specific direction towards which the user is moving is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic analysis of acceleration signal characteristics, including frequency spectrum analysis and temporal pattern recognition, to determine the specific direction of movement. By continuously analyzing the dynamics of the acceleration signals and comparing them against known movement patterns, the system can distinguish between opposite directions along the same axis while maintaining computational efficiency through optimized algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed here are methods and systems that relate to determining a moving direction of a mobile device user. The methods and systems relate to using an inertial navigation system such as an accelerometer and gyroscope to aid in the determination of the moving direction of the user. The methods and systems may receive an acceleration reading associated with the mobile device, and determine a step frequency of the user based on the acceleration reading. The methods and systems may determine a theoretical model to fit the acceleration reading, and may determine the moving direction of the user based on the theoretical model.