Sensor Hub Segmentation for Continuous Location Logging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices equipped with GPS and other positioning technologies consume excessive power when continuously logging and processing location data, leading to shorter battery life and increased energy consumption, especially when processing irrelevant location points of interest.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a geographic positioning device with lower-power processors that can offload GPS signal processing and location comparison tasks, allowing the main CPU to sleep while the sensor hub continuously logs and compares locations, waking the CPU only when relevant points are detected, and using a server-side process to rank and transmit relevant locations to the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the main CPU continuously processes and logs location data, then location logging accuracy and responsiveness are improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing system into two distinct components: a sensor hub with lower-power processors that continuously captures and pre-processes GPS location data, and a main CPU that remains in sleep mode and only activates when relevant locations are detected. This segmentation allows continuous monitoring with minimal power consumption by assigning different processing responsibilities to different hardware components based on their power consumption characteristics.
2Loss of time
If the main CPU remains active to detect relevant points of interest, then notification responsiveness is improved, but battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor hub performs preliminary actions by continuously capturing location data, comparing it against stored relevant locations, and identifying matches before involving the main CPU. This preliminary processing ensures that when the main CPU is awakened, it only needs to handle already-validated relevant locations, maintaining notification responsiveness while minimizing the duration the high-power CPU remains active.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor hub acts as an intermediary between the GPS receiver and the main CPU. It receives raw location data, performs initial processing and filtering, and only transmits relevant location information to the main CPU when matches are found. This intermediary role eliminates the need for the main CPU to continuously monitor all location data, extending battery life while maintaining responsiveness through the intermediary's continuous operation.
3Productivity
If all captured locations are processed by the main CPU, then processing completeness is improved, but energy waste increases due to processing irrelevant locations
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor hub performs partial processing of location data by continuously capturing and comparing locations against relevant ones, but only fully activates the main CPU when relevant locations are actually detected. This partial action approach ensures processing completeness for relevant locations while avoiding the energy waste of activating the main CPU for every single captured location, especially those that are irrelevant.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a mobile computing device has a first processor and a second processor. The mobile device determines an operating condition of the mobile device, the operating condition being based on at least the current time of day, a current activity of a user associated with the mobile device, or a current proximity of the mobile device to a place connected to the user of the mobile device through an on-line social network. If the operating conditions of the mobile device are satisfied, the first processor of the mobile device sends a message to the second processor of the mobile device, the message causing the second processor to transition from a sleep state to an active state.