Simultaneous Calibration of Motion Capture Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motion capture sensors face limitations in accuracy due to high calibration costs and manufacturing processes, which often result in incomplete or skipped calibration, especially for multiple sensors mounted on large PCBs in devices like mobile phones, where high accuracy is not required for simple applications.
Innovation Solution
A calibration system that enables simultaneous calibration of multiple motion capture elements using a rotational plate or Stewart platform, allowing for simultaneous calibration of multiple sensors across all axes, reducing costs and increasing accuracy by calculating and storing a 3×3 calibration matrix for each sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple motion capture sensors are calibrated individually using known calibration machines, then calibration accuracy can be achieved, but the calibration cost and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual calibration operations into a single simultaneous calibration process. Multiple motion capture sensors are mounted on a rotating platform that rotates about a vertical axis, allowing all sensors to be calibrated together through one rotation cycle rather than requiring separate calibration machines and procedures for each sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating calibration platform serves multiple functions: it holds multiple sensors, provides controlled rotation about a vertical axis, and enables simultaneous calibration of all mounted sensors. This universal platform replaces the need for multiple individual calibration machines, making the calibration process more efficient and scalable.
2Measurement precision
If motion capture sensors are calibrated individually, then calibration accuracy can be maintained, but the calibration cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple calibration operations into a single simultaneous process. By mounting multiple sensors on one rotating platform and calibrating them together, the system reduces the total number of calibration operations required, thereby lowering calibration costs while maintaining accuracy through the controlled rotation and data collection process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers calibration data from multiple sensors simultaneously during a single rotation cycle. Instead of discarding the opportunity to calibrate multiple sensors at once, the system captures motion capture data from all sensors throughout the rotation and processes it to extract calibration factors for each sensor, maximizing the utility of each calibration cycle.
3Ease of manufacture
If motion capture sensors are not calibrated, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs calibration as a preliminary action during the manufacturing or deployment process. By calibrating sensors before they are put into service using the simultaneous calibration system, the process ensures accurate motion capture data is obtained without requiring expensive post-manufacturing calibration services, thereby balancing manufacturing costs with measurement accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A calibration system for simultaneous calibration of multiple motion capture elements (MCEs) of at least one type (accelerometer and/or gyroscope). Includes motion and/or rotational element coupled to a base and configured to move and/or rotate multiple MCEs mounted on a mount in and/or about at least one axis. For one axis movement embodiments, after each motion and/or axial rotation, the motion and/or rotational mount itself is rotated for example manually, so the mount points in a different direction, i.e., the Z axis. In a single axis embodiment, this is performed twice so that each axis of the MCEs experience motion and/or rotation about three axes. The motion capture data is sampled and used in calculation of a 3×3 calibration matrix. The physical format of the motion capture sensors may be any format including chip, memory or SIM card format, PCB format, mobile computers/phones.