# US 12,000,424 B2 · Motion activated switch and method

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- Number: US 12,000,424 B2
- Document ID: US12000424B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/435,037
- Filed: 2019-06-07
- Published: 2019-10-24
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-18
- Applicants: Matthew C. Prestwich; Benjamin N. DeMann
- Inventors: Matthew C. Prestwich; Benjamin N. DeMann
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000424B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)}
- F16B 5/0258: {using resiliently deformable sleeves, grommets or inserts (F16B43/001 takes precedence)}
- F16B 37/068: {by deforming the material of the support, e.g. the sheet or plate}
- F41G 1/35: for illuminating the target
- F41G 11/00: Details of sighting or aiming apparatus; Accessories {(tools for adjustment of sights F41G1/545)}
- F16B 5/02: by means of fastening members using screw-thread ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)
- F41G: WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING (optical aspects thereof G02B)

## Abstract

An algorithm analyzes the motion of an object to determine if a switch needs to be activated or deactivated. Accelerometers measure forces exerted upon an object to determine orientation in pitch, roll, and yaw axes, and to determine motion of the object. When threshold conditions for these orientations and movements are measured, the method combines taking moving averages of pitch, roll, and yaw, and additionally accumulating an integral of yaw to determine if an activation or deactivation condition is met. Should an integral condition not be constantly met while the moving average conditions are being determined, the yaw integral counter resets and the whole process must begin again. This method balances most unintentional activation conditions with activation latency. Another methodology tracks the motion of a wrist flick, similar to casting a fishing line, using acceleration and deceleration parameters.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling a switch, said switch controlling electrical power transmitted to a load and comprising a processor, timer, and at least one axial accelerometer measuring accelerations along an individual axis, the method comprising:
a. setting at least one time interval condition and taking measurements of accelerations along at least one axis every time interval;
b. setting a number of measurements to be averaged into an average acceleration value;
c. repeating acceleration measurements at every time interval, and averaging only the most recent acceleration measurements to obtain new average acceleration values;
d. setting an activation counter threshold condition;
e. if the activation counter threshold condition is met by an average acceleration value, incrementing an activation counter and continually adding to the activation counter in the same manner for each subsequent average acceleration value that meets the activation counter threshold condition;
f. if subsequent average accelerations do not meet the activation counter threshold condition, then reducing the activation counter; and
g. only activating the switch if an activation counter threshold value is reached.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the activation counter being incremented by multiplying the average acceleration value by the time increment and accumulating the product of the same in the activation counter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the step of reducing the activation counter being a total clearing of the counter to zero.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
h. comparing each average acceleration value to a second threshold condition; and
i. only activating the switch if the counter threshold value is reached and the second threshold condition is met.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, the axis being used for the second threshold condition being a different axis than the axis used to determine the activation counter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, one accelerometer measuring along a pitch axis of the switch, one accelerometer measuring along a yaw axis of the switch and one accelerometer measuring along a roll axis of the switch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising a step of setting a secondary activation counter threshold condition for acceleration measurements along a second axis and reducing the activation counter if this secondary activation counter threshold condition is met irrespective of whether the activation counter threshold condition is also met.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising a deactivation counter keyed to accelerations along at least one deactivation axis.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, the deactivation counter further comprising:
h. taking measurements of deactivation accelerations along the at least one deactivation axis every time interval;
i. setting a number of measurements to be averaged into an average deactivation acceleration value;
j. repeating deactivation acceleration measurements at every time interval, and averaging only the most recent deactivation acceleration measurements to obtain new average deactivation acceleration values;
k. if a deactivation threshold condition is met by an average deactivation acceleration value, incrementing a deactivation counter and continually adding to the deactivation counter in the same manner for each subsequent average deactivation acceleration value that meets the deactivation threshold condition;
l. if subsequent average deactivation accelerations do not meet the deactivation threshold condition, then reducing the deactivation counter; and
m. deactivating the switch if the deactivation counter reaches a deactivation counter threshold.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, the deactivation counter being incremented by multiplying the average acceleration value along the at least one deactivation axis by the time increment and accumulating the product of the same in the deactivation counter.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, the step of reducing the deactivation counter being a total clearing of the deactivation counter to zero.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising:
n. comparing each average deactivation acceleration value to a second, moving average, deactivation threshold condition; and
o. only deactivating the switch if the deactivation threshold condition and the deactivation counter threshold value is reached.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, the axis being used for the deactivation threshold condition being a different axis than the axis used to determine the deactivation counter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, the method further comprising a step of setting a secondary deactivation counter threshold condition for acceleration measurements along an axis different than the at least one deactivation axis and reducing the deactivation counter if this secondary deactivation counter threshold condition is met irrespective of whether the deactivation counter threshold condition is also met.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the number of measurements to be averaged into the average acceleration value being set at 1.

### Claim 16

A method for controlling a switch through a set deactivation condition, said switch controlling electrical power transmitted to a load and comprising a processor, timer, and at least one axial accelerometers measuring accelerations along an individual axis, the method comprising:
a. taking measurements of deactivation accelerations along at least one axis every time interval;
b. setting a number of measurements to be averaged into an average deactivation acceleration value;
c. repeating deactivation acceleration measurements at every time interval, and averaging only the most recent deactivation acceleration measurements to obtain new average deactivation acceleration values;
d. if a deactivation threshold condition is met by an average deactivation acceleration value, incrementing a deactivation counter and continually adding to the deactivation counter in the same manner for each subsequent average deactivation acceleration value that meets the deactivation threshold condition;
e. if subsequent average deactivation accelerations do not meet the deactivation threshold condition, then reducing the deactivation counter; and
f. deactivating the switch if the deactivation counter reaches a deactivation counter threshold.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, the deactivation counter being incremented by multiplying the average acceleration value along the at least one deactivation axis by the time increment and accumulating the product of the same in the deactivation counter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, the step of reducing the deactivation counter being a total clearing of the deactivation counter to zero.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, the deactivation condition thereof further comprising:
g. comparing each average deactivation acceleration value to a second, moving average, deactivation threshold condition; and
h. only deactivating the switch if the deactivation threshold condition and the deactivation counter threshold value is reached.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, the axis being used for the deactivation threshold condition being a different axis than the axis used to determine the deactivation counter.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, the method further comprising a step of setting a secondary deactivation counter threshold condition for acceleration measurements along an axis different than the at least one deactivation axis and reducing the deactivation counter if this secondary deactivation counter threshold condition is met irrespective of whether the deactivation counter threshold condition is also met.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, the number of measurements to be averaged into the average acceleration value being set at 1.

### Claim 23

A method for controlling a switch, said switch controlling electrical power transmitted to a load and comprising a processor, timer, and at least one axial accelerometer measuring accelerations along an individual axis, the method comprising:
a. setting at least one time interval condition and taking measurements of accelerations along at least one axis every time interval;
b. comparing the measurements of accelerations to a set of checkpoints stored in memory, said checkpoints defining a characteristic pattern of accelerations and decelerations anticipated by a predetermined action; and
c. activating the switch if the measurements of accelerations match the characteristic pattern as would be anticipated by the predetermined motion.