Time of Flight Sensor User Identification Height Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current user identification methods in smart systems, such as smart homes and offices, are complex and unreliable due to the variability in human characteristics affecting infrared sensing, necessitating a more sophisticated and reliable technique for identifying and tracking individuals.
Innovation Solution
A time-of-flight ranging sensor system positioned to sense the height of individuals, coupled with processing circuitry that generates control signals based on identified individuals and their speed, utilizing additional devices like image capture and thermal sensors for enhanced identification and control of peripheral systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If infrared sensing is used to detect presence of people, then the system is inexpensive, but the reliability of user identification deteriorates due to variable characteristics affecting reflectance
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the measurement parameter from reflectance-based infrared sensing to time-of-flight based distance measurement. By measuring the time for light to travel to and from the object, the system obtains a parameter (distance) that is not affected by the object's surface properties like hair color or clothing color, thereby improving reliability while maintaining cost-effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional infrared reflectance sensing mechanism with a time-of-flight optical measurement mechanism. This substitution uses the speed of light and time measurement instead of relying on reflected infrared energy, fundamentally changing how presence detection works to eliminate sensitivity to surface characteristics
2Reliability
If time of flight sensing is used to identify users based on height, then user identification reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases compared to simple infrared sensing
Solution Approach 1:
The time-of-flight sensor performs multiple functions: it detects presence, measures distance, determines height, and can track movement speed. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate sensors for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving reliable user identification
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds the time dimension to distance measurement by measuring the time of flight of light. This temporal dimension enables height determination and speed calculation without requiring additional spatial sensors, managing complexity through dimensional transformation rather than adding more physical components
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors (image capture, thermal, time of flight) are combined for user identification, then identification accuracy is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensing modalities (time-of-flight, image capture, thermal sensing) into an integrated user identification system. By combining these sensors and their data processing functions, the system achieves high identification accuracy through multi-parameter verification while managing complexity through integrated architecture rather than separate independent systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides reliable user identification and control of smart system components, offering improved reliability and customization based on detected individuals, enhancing operational efficiency and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a time of flight ranging sensor configured to sense a distance to a person
Data Source
AI summary
A user identification based control system includes a time of flight ranging sensor configured to sense a distance to a person, where the time of flight ranging sensor is positioned so the sensed distance is a function of a height of the person. Processing circuitry is coupled to the time of flight ranging sensor and configured to identify the person based upon sensed distance and to generate control signals to control peripheral components based upon the identity of the person. The time of flight ranging sensor may also be used to sense speed of the person for identification purposes. In general, the time of flight ranging sensor is positioned a known height over a surface on which the person is present, such as in the doorway or on a ceiling of a room.