Space-Time Data Structure for Ambient Physical Entity Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computing systems lack the ability to effectively track and perform computations on physical entities within a space and time, limiting their capability to interact with and understand the physical world beyond predefined instructions.
Innovation Solution
A space-time data structure is established to track physical entities and their features over time, allowing for querying and computation on their activities within a physical space, enabling ambient computing that extends computing capabilities into the physical environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If computing systems perform only predefined tasks based on instructions, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to interact with and understand the physical world is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a space-time data structure as an intermediary layer between physical sensors and computing systems. This data structure mediates the interaction by organizing sensor data in a queryable format that extends computing capabilities into the physical world without requiring fundamental changes to the computing system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to spatial data by creating a space-time data structure. This allows the system to track and query physical entities not only in space but also across time, enabling queries about past, present, and future states of physical entities without increasing spatial hardware complexity
2Productivity
If computing systems extend capabilities into the physical environment through ambient computing, then productivity is improved, but the complexity of tracking and managing physical entities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The space-time data structure serves multiple functions: it stores sensor data, enables querying of physical entities, tracks temporal changes, and supports various ambient computing applications. This universal data structure reduces the need for separate specialized systems for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the physical environment in the form of a space-time data structure. This digital twin or copy allows computing systems to interact with and analyze physical entities without physically manipulating them, reducing the complexity of direct physical tracking while maintaining full analytical capabilities
Data Source
AI summary
The tracking of physical entities within a space such that computer-implemented computations (or ambient computing) may be performed on the features and/or activity of physical entities within that physical space. A space-time data structure corresponding to the physical space is set up. For at least one physical entity within that physical space, physical feature(s) of the physical entity is sensed at different instances in time. That sensed feature is stored in an entity data structure that is associated with the space-time data structure. This may be done for multiple physical entities within the location using multiple entity data structures that are each associated with the space-time data structure. A computing system may navigate such a space-time data structure to perform computation on physical entities, physical features and physical activity within that physical space.