Spatially-aware controller using UWB tessellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart devices struggle to accurately determine the spatial context of voice queries within physical spaces, leading to user experience issues due to the need for verbal specification of intent and limited accuracy in localization, especially across rooms.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing ultra-wideband (UWB) technology with a UWB anchor and tag to determine user position and spatial context, enabling precise location-based control of smart devices through a mobile computing device, allowing for accurate measurement of distances and dimensions within physical spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If voice query is used for smart device control, then user interaction is simplified, but spatial context determination accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines voice query processing with UWB-based spatial localization by integrating the spatially-aware controller with the voice assistant system. The controller fuses voice commands with precise location data from UWB anchors and tags to determine spatial context, allowing the system to maintain voice interaction simplicity while achieving accurate spatial determination through multi-modal data integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The spatially-aware controller acts as an intermediary between the voice query system and the spatial localization system. It receives voice queries and independently determines spatial context using UWB data, then combines this information to provide accurate spatial awareness without requiring changes to the voice interaction interface, thus resolving the contradiction between interaction simplicity and measurement precision.
2Device complexity
If traditional localization methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but localization accuracy across rooms deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the physical space into multiple zones covered by different UWB anchor devices, with each anchor independently providing localization data for its coverage area. This segmentation allows the system to achieve accurate cross-room localization by dividing the large physical space into manageable segments, each handled by a relatively simple anchor device, thus maintaining system simplicity while improving overall localization accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The UWB anchor devices serve multiple functions: they provide spatial localization data, define physical space boundaries, enable digital measurement capabilities, and support various smart device control scenarios. This multi-functionality allows a single UWB infrastructure to address multiple needs simultaneously, reducing overall system complexity while achieving high localization accuracy across the entire physical space.
3Loss of information
If verbal specification of intent is required, then spatial context ambiguity is reduced, but interaction time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary spatial context determination using UWB localization data before processing the voice query. By pre-establishing the user's location and spatial context through continuous UWB tracking, the system eliminates the need for users to verbally specify spatial intent, thereby reducing interaction time while maintaining or improving spatial context clarity through the pre-acquired location data.
Solution Approach 2:
The spatially-aware controller continuously receives feedback from UWB anchors regarding the user's position and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust spatial context understanding. This real-time feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain accurate spatial awareness without requiring explicit verbal confirmation from the user, thus reducing interaction time while preserving spatial context clarity through continuous passive tracking.
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 solution provides a seamless user experience by enabling precise spatial control of smart devices and accurate digital measurements, reducing interaction time and improving localization accuracy across physical spaces.
Implementation Method 1
determining a distance based on the delay time
Implementation Method 2
determining an angle-of-arrival (AoA) based on the second signal
Data Source
AI summary
A method including retrieving a set of first ultra-wide band (UWB) data representing locations in a physical space and device locations in the physical space, the first UWB data representing the locations being tagged as associated with a device, generating a set of first coordinates based on the set of first UWB data, generating second UWB data representing a current location of the UWB tag device in the physical space, generating a second coordinate based on the second UWB data, generating a tiled set of coordinates by partitioning a plane associated with the physical space based on the set of first coordinates and the second coordinate, determining whether the UWB tag device is proximate to a tagged coordinate in the tiled set of coordinates, and in response to determining the UWB tag device is proximate to a tagged coordinate, initiating an action by the device associated with the tagged coordinate.