Synchronizing Wireless Sensor Data and Video via Timestamps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies lack an efficient method to synchronize and combine sensor data from wireless multi-sensor devices with video data from mobile computing devices, limiting the ability to effectively display and analyze synchronized data in real-time applications.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a multi-sensor device with wireless communication transceivers and sensors, and a mobile computing device equipped with a video camera, capable of receiving, timestamping, aggregating, and synchronizing sensor data and video frames into a combined dataset, allowing for simultaneous playback and display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sensor data and video data are collected separately without synchronization, then data collection is simple and independent, but the ability to analyze and display synchronized data in real-time is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces timestamp data as an intermediary element that bridges sensor data and video data. Each data packet from both sources includes a timestamp indicating when it was captured, allowing the processing system to align and synchronize the data streams without requiring direct coordination between the sensor device and video recording device. This intermediary mechanism enables real-time synchronized analysis while maintaining the simplicity of independent data collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by attaching timestamps to sensor data packets and video frames at the time of data capture, before the data needs to be synchronized. This advance preparation of temporal metadata allows the processing system to later align the data streams efficiently without requiring complex real-time coordination, thus improving productivity while managing device complexity.
2Loss of information
If multiple data streams are collected and synchronized, then comprehensive analysis is enabled, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Timestamp data serves as a simple intermediary that enables accurate synchronization without complex processing. By using straightforward timestamp values that indicate capture time, the system achieves precise data alignment across multiple streams without introducing complex synchronization algorithms or processing overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter approach by using simple timestamp values rather than complex synchronization markers or timestamps. This parameter simplification allows for accurate data alignment while minimizing processing complexity, as the system only needs to compare and match timestamp values rather than perform complex temporal alignment calculations.
3Ease of operation
If sensor data is processed and displayed without video synchronization, then processing is fast and simple, but the contextual understanding of physical movements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges sensor data and video data into a unified synchronized display by using timestamps as the binding element. The processing system combines both data types and presents them together, allowing users to view sensor measurements in the context of corresponding video frames. This merging improves ease of operation by providing a single integrated view while preventing loss of contextual information through the synchronized presentation.
Solution Approach 2:
By pre-attaching timestamps to both sensor data and video frames, the system prepares the data for future synchronization and contextual merging. This preliminary action enables the system to later combine and display the data streams together without requiring complex real-time coordination, thus maintaining ease of operation while enriching contextual understanding.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are provided to implement the display of synchronized sensor data and captured video signal. A mobile computing device receives a set of data points from a multi-sensor device. The set of data points may be assigned a timestamp value, obtained from an internal clock within the mobile computing device. Sets of data points and their assigned timestamp values are aggregated into an aggregated sensor dataset that represents the sets of data points over a particular period of time. Concurrently to receiving the sensor data, video frames are received. The video frames with an assigned timestamp value are stored in a video frame dataset that represents video frames over a particular period of time. The aggregated sensor dataset and the video frame dataset are synchronized and combined into a single combined video dataset based upon the assigned timestamp values of the sets of data points and the video frames.