Spatial Tracking Angular Range Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices face inefficiencies in resource usage and battery drain due to capturing and processing unnecessary information from a large area, particularly when only a portion of the area is of interest, which is problematic for portable devices.
Innovation Solution
The device determines a primary direction to a user or object of interest and limits the range of interest to a smaller angular range, updating this range based on movement, using image capture elements to perform a 360° scan initially and then focusing on a smaller range for tracking, thereby reducing resource consumption and improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the device captures and processes information over a large area, then the device can detect users or objects in any direction, but the resource consumption and battery drain increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs a preliminary 360° scan using image capture elements to detect the presence and direction of users or objects of interest before switching to a focused tracking mode. This preliminary action allows the system to establish initial spatial awareness without continuous full-area monitoring, thereby reducing subsequent energy consumption while maintaining detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its monitoring strategy based on detected movement. When movement is detected in a specific direction, the device updates the primary direction and narrows the angular range of interest to track the moving object. This dynamic adaptation allows the device to maintain comprehensive coverage when needed while conserving energy during stable periods
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device captures information over a large area, then the device can identify users from any direction, but the processing resources are wasted on analyzing unnecessary information
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies different processing quality levels to different spatial regions. The primary direction and angular range of interest receive high-quality processing with detailed analysis, while other regions receive minimal or no processing. This local quality differentiation maintains user detection capability in all directions while concentrating computational resources on the most relevant areas
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring area is segmented into a focused region of interest (primary direction ± angular range) and the rest of the environment. The system processes information differently for these segments, applying intensive processing only to the focused region where users or objects of interest are most likely to be located, thereby improving overall processing efficiency
3Adaptability or versatility
If the device continuously monitors a large area, then the device can detect movement from any direction, but false positives increase and accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary detection across the full 360° range to establish baseline spatial awareness and identify the primary direction of interest. This preliminary action allows the system to distinguish between genuine movement of interest and background noise by comparing subsequent detections against the established baseline, thereby reducing false positives while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability
Data Source
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AI summary
The amount of resources needed for an electronic device to track and/or interact with a user is reduced by utilizing a predicted relative position of that user. In some embodiments, a full 360° scan is performed using at least one image capture element to locate a primary direction to a user of the device. Once this direction is determined, a smaller range (e.g., 45°) centered around that direction can be used to capture, analyze, or provide information for the user. As the user moves, the determined direction is updated and the range adjusted accordingly. If the user moves outside the range, the device can increase the size of the range until the user is located, and the range can again be decreased around the determined direction. Such approaches limit the amount of image or audio information that must be captured and/or analyzed to track the relative position of a user.