Wearable Sensor Fusion for False Detection Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wearable electronic devices face issues with false positive detections of changes in operating environments due to pressure variations, leading to undesired activation or deactivation of functions, and high energy consumption from using multiple sensors.
Innovation Solution
A detection device that combines a pressure sensor and an electrostatic-charge-variation sensor, with processing circuitry to jointly process pressure and charge-variation signals, reducing false detections and minimizing energy consumption by activating sensors only when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pressure sensor is used for detecting operating environment changes, then detection capability is provided, but false positive detections occur due to pressure variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a pressure sensor and an electrostatic charge sensor into an integrated detection device. The pressure sensor detects pressure variations while the electrostatic charge sensor detects changes in electrostatic charge. Both sensors feed signals to processing circuitry that jointly processes the data to determine operating environment changes, thereby reducing false positives caused by pressure variations alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing circuitry continuously monitors both pressure sensor signals and electrostatic charge sensor signals, using feedback from both sources to verify environment changes. When the device is inserted into the ear, the electrostatic charge sensor detects the change in charge, and the pressure sensor detects pressure increase, with both signals cross-validating each other to confirm the environment change and reduce false detections.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors are used for accurate detection, then detection reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrostatic charge sensor operates continuously to monitor for environment changes, while the pressure sensor is activated periodically or on-demand based on signals from the electrostatic charge sensor. This periodic activation of the pressure sensor reduces its energy consumption while maintaining detection reliability through coordinated operation of both sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrostatic charge sensor performs preliminary detection of environment changes before activating the pressure sensor. When the electrostatic charge sensor detects a significant change indicating possible insertion into the ear, it triggers the pressure sensor to perform confirmatory measurement, thereby optimizing energy usage by keeping the pressure sensor inactive during normal operation.
3Use of energy by moving object
If pressure sensor is kept inactive to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but detection capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The electrostatic charge sensor acts as an intermediary that triggers the activation of the pressure sensor. The charge sensor continuously monitors the environment and, upon detecting changes consistent with insertion into the ear, activates the pressure sensor to perform detailed pressure-based detection, thereby maintaining detection capability while minimizing pressure sensor operation time and energy consumption.
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
The solution effectively reduces false detections and minimizes energy consumption by using a dual-sensor approach, allowing for accurate detection of changes in operating environments while optimizing energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic-charge-variation sensor (4), configured to provide a charge-variation signal (SQ) indicative of a variation of electrostatic charge in said operating environment
Data Source
AI summary
A detection device includes a pressure sensor, which provides a pressure signal indicative of an ambient pressure in an operating environment. An electrostatic-charge-variation sensor provides a charge-variation signal indicative of a variation of electrostatic charge associated with the operating environment, and processing circuitry is coupled to the pressure sensor and to the electrostatic-charge-variation sensor so as to receive the pressure signal and the charge-variation signal, and jointly processes the pressure signal and the charge-variation signal for detecting a variation between a first operating environment and a second operating environment for the detection device. The second operating environment is different from the first operating environment.