Radar-Based Room Boundary Detection Using User Movement Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional sensors struggle to accurately determine the location of all walls in a room due to multi-path signal reflections, leading to inaccurate room dimension estimation and potential detection of 'ghost targets' outside the actual room boundaries.
Innovation Solution
A user-assisted method using a radar sensor to detect the movement of a user touching room walls, combined with processing circuitry to determine wall locations based on user movement, and potentially refining with a static point cloud data for enhanced accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional sensors transmit signals to detect wall locations, then the sensor can detect objects in the room, but multi-path signal reflections cause inaccurate room dimension estimation and ghost target detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a user as an intermediary element between the sensor and the walls. The user physically touches the walls while moving through the room, serving as a mediator that helps the sensor accurately identify wall locations. The sensor tracks the user's movement and infers wall positions from the user's interaction with the boundaries, rather than directly detecting walls through problematic radio wave reflections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional electromagnetic wave-based wall detection mechanism with a mechanical interaction approach. Instead of relying on radio waves reflecting off walls (which cause multi-path interference), the system uses the user's mechanical movement and physical contact with walls to determine boundary locations. The sensor detects the user's motion mechanically through radar tracking, and the processing circuitry calculates wall positions from this motion data.
2Extent of automation
If the sensor uses signal reflection to determine wall locations, then the detection process is automated, but the sensor detects ghost targets outside actual room boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously tracking the user's movement through the room and using this information to refine wall location estimates. The processing circuitry monitors the user's trajectory, detects when the user contacts walls, and adjusts the determined boundary positions based on this feedback. This iterative process improves accuracy while maintaining automation, as the system learns from the user's interaction patterns with the room boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The user performs a self-service function by voluntarily moving through the room and touching the walls, thereby actively participating in the boundary detection process. This user-driven approach eliminates the need for complex automated wall-finding algorithms that rely on problematic signal reflections. The sensor simply needs to track the user's self-directed movement and infer boundaries from this data, significantly improving accuracy while maintaining system automation.
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
Improves the accuracy of wall location estimation, enabling better performance in HVAC systems, security, and smart home operations by rejecting ghost targets and providing precise room boundary information.
Implementation Method 1
determining, by the processing circuitry, a first estimated location of a first wall in the room based on a first portion of the movement of the user
Implementation Method 2
a signal transmitted by the sensor can take multiple paths through a room before arriving at the receiver of the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided. In some examples, the method includes receiving a first user input at processing circuitry. The method also includes determining, by the processing circuitry based on a signal from a radar sensor, movement of a user in a room after receiving the first user input. In addition, the method includes determining, by the processing circuitry, a first estimated location of a first wall in the room based on a first portion of the movement of the user. The method further includes determining, by the processing circuitry, a second estimated location of a second wall in the room based on a second portion of the movement of the user.