Utensil Location Method Reducing Magnetometer Power Consumption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for locating mobile utensils using a network of magnetometers require extensive computational operations, leading to high power consumption, especially when multiple utensils are being tracked simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
The method optimizes power consumption by selectively executing step b) only when necessary, using the barycenter of the disturbance to identify moved utensils, adapting the system of equations dynamically, and simplifying calculations by replacing immobile utensil variables with constants, thereby reducing the number of operations required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the system executes step b) to estimate variable values after every measurement iteration, then the location precision is maintained, but the power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs step b) periodically only when disturbances are detected, rather than after every measurement iteration. The controller monitors disturbance levels and triggers the computationally intensive estimation process only when necessary, reducing power consumption while maintaining location accuracy through selective updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses disturbance detection as feedback to control the execution of step b). By continuously monitoring magnetic field disturbances and comparing them against thresholds, the system intelligently determines when re-estimation is necessary, creating a feedback loop that balances precision and power consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system tracks numerous mobile utensils simultaneously, then the flexibility and capability of the system increases, but the number of computational operations increases, leading to higher power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the computational workload by separating disturbance detection from full system re-estimation. Instead of processing all utensil variables after every measurement, the system first detects disturbances and then selectively updates only the necessary subsets of variables, reducing the computational burden while maintaining the ability to track multiple utensils.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial estimation updates rather than complete re-estimation of all variables. By updating only the variables related to disturbed utensils and using previously estimated values for undisturbed utensils, the system achieves sufficient accuracy with reduced computational operations and lower power consumption.
3Measurement precision
If the system resolves the complete system of equations to detect utensil movement, then the detection accuracy is ensured, but the computational overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and isolates the disturbance detection function from the complete system re-estimation process. By calculating disturbance metrics separately and using them to trigger selective re-estimation, the system reduces computational overhead while maintaining detection accuracy through targeted analysis of only the affected subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary disturbance detection and analysis before committing to full system re-estimation. By pre-processing measurements to identify disturbances and their sources, the system prepares targeted estimation updates that reduce computational overhead while ensuring accurate detection through preliminary filtering and classification.
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
This approach reduces power consumption and increases the precision of utensil location while maintaining flexibility, allowing for efficient tracking of multiple utensils with lower computational overhead.
Implementation Method 1
Step a) includes the measurement, by each of the magnetometers, of the amplitude of the magnetic field along each of its measurement axes
Data Source
AI summary
A method for locating utensils involves (step a) measuring, by magnetometers, of the amplitude of the magnetic field, and (step b) estimating, with the magnetometer measurements the positions, orientations and amplitudes of the magnetic moments of the objects of the utensils. The method also includes (step c) detecting each immobile utensil and, in response, adding the immobile utensil to a list, and (step d) establishing measurements from the magnetometers when they are exclusively in the presence of a reference magnetic field generated only by magnetic objects of all the immobile utensils in the list of immobile utensils. The method further includes (step e) calculating the amplitude of a disturbance on the basis of the differences between the measurements performed in step a) and the measurements established in step d). If the amplitude of the disturbance crosses a predetermined threshold, step b) is executed, otherwise the method returns to step a).