# US 12,181,931 B2 · Technologies for ultrasound-based hinge angle estimation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,931 B2 - Document ID: US12181931B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/359,009 - Filed: 2021-06-25 - Published: 2021-10-21 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-25 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Sean J. W. Lawrence - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181931B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/1618: {the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure} - G06F 1/1681: {Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683)} - G01B 17/00: Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic vibrations - G01S 15/08: Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S15/46) - G06F 1/1677: {for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment} - G06F 1/1686: {the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera} - G06F 1/1688: {the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers} - G06F 1/3206: Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality - G06F 1/3218: of display devices - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract Techniques for ultrasound-based hinge estimation are disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, a speaker in a base portion of a computing device generates an ultrasonic sound pulse. The pulse is sensed by a microphone in a lid portion of the computing device. The time-of-flight of the sound pulse from the speaker to the microphone is used to determine the distance between the speaker and the microphone. The angle of the lid portion relative to the microphone portion can then be determined based on the position of the speaker, the position of the microphone, and the distance between the speaker and the microphone. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computing device for determining an angle of a lid relative to a base of the computing device, the computing device comprising: speaker controller circuitry to generate, by one or more speakers in a first housing of the computing device, one or more ultrasonic sounds; microphone controller circuitry to sense, by one or more microphones in a second housing of the computing device, the one or more ultrasonic sounds, wherein the second housing is connected to the first housing by a hinge and is able to rotate relative to the first housing; and lid angle determiner circuitry to determine an angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on a time between generation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more speakers and sensation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more microphones. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the lid angle determiner circuitry is further to determine a distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones based on the time between generation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more speakers and sensation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more microphones, wherein to determine the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing comprises to determine the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on the distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computing device of claim 2, wherein the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises an ultrasonic sound pulse with a carrier frequency between 20 kilohertz and 50 kilohertz, wherein to determine the distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones comprises to determine the distance with an uncertainty of less than half of a wavelength of the carrier frequency of the ultrasonic sound pulse. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more microphones are synchronized to the one or more speakers based on a clock of the computing device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the lid angle determiner circuitry is further to: determine a position of the one or more speakers in the first housing; and determine a position of the one or more microphones in the second housing, wherein to determine the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing comprises to determine the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on the position of the one or more speakers in the first housing and the position of the one or more microphones in the second housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first housing is a lid portion that comprises a display and the second housing is a base portion that comprises a keyboard. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more speakers comprises a plurality of speakers, wherein to generate the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises to generate, by the plurality of speakers, the one or more ultrasonic sounds in a directional pattern. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more microphones comprises a plurality of microphones, wherein to sense the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises to apply a spatial filter to a signal of the plurality of microphones. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first housing is able to rotate substantially 360° relative to the second housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, wherein the computing device does not include resistive or capacitive contact sensors or magnetic-based sensors to determine an orientation of the first housing relative to the second housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The computing device of claim 1, further comprising low power camera controller circuitry to: monitor, with use of a camera, a scene visible by the camera; and determine whether the scene has changed by at least a threshold amount, wherein to generate the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises to generate the one or more ultrasonic sounds in response to a determination that the scene has changed by at least the threshold amount. ### Claim 12 A method for determining an angle of a lid relative to a base of a computing device, the method comprising: generating, by one or more speakers in a first housing of the computing device, one or more ultrasonic sounds; sensing, by one or more microphones in a second housing of the computing device, the one or more ultrasonic sounds, wherein the second housing is connected to the first housing by a hinge and is able to rotate relative to the first housing; and determining, by the computing device, an angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on a time between generation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more speakers and sensation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more microphones. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising determining, by the computing device, a distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones based on the time between generation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more speakers and sensation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more microphones, wherein determining the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing comprises determining, by the computing device, the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on the distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises an ultrasonic sound pulse with a carrier frequency between 20 kilohertz and 50 kilohertz, wherein determining the distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones comprises determining the distance with an uncertainty of less than half of a wavelength of the carrier frequency of the ultrasonic sound pulse. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining a position of the one or more speakers in the first housing; and determining a position of the one or more microphones in the second housing, wherein determining the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing comprises determining the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on the position of the one or more speakers in the first housing and the position of the one or more microphones in the second housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more microphones comprises a plurality of microphones, wherein sensing the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises applying a spatial filter to a signal of the plurality of microphones. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first housing is able to rotate substantially 360° relative to the second housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the computing device does not include resistive or capacitive contact sensors or magnetic-based sensors to determine an orientation of the first housing relative to the second housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: monitoring, by the computing device and with use of a camera, a scene visible by the camera; and determining, by the computing device, whether the scene has changed by at least a threshold amount, wherein generating the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises generating the one or more ultrasonic sounds in response to a determination that the scene has changed by at least the threshold amount. ### Claim 20 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed, causes a computing device to: generate, by one or more speakers in a first housing of the computing device, one or more ultrasonic sounds; sense, by one or more microphones in a second housing of the computing device, the one or more ultrasonic sounds, wherein the second housing is connected to the first housing by a hinge and is able to rotate relative to the first housing; and determine an angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on a time between generation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more speakers and sensation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more microphones. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions further causes the computing device to determine a distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones based on the time between generation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more speakers and sensation of the one or more ultrasonic sounds by the one or more microphones, wherein to determine the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing comprises to determine the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on the distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises an ultrasonic sound pulse with a carrier frequency between 20 kilohertz and 50 kilohertz, wherein to determine the distance between the one or more speakers and the one or more microphones comprises to determine the distance with an uncertainty of less than half of a wavelength of the carrier frequency of the ultrasonic sound pulse. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the one or more microphones are synchronized to the one or more speakers based on a clock of the computing device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions further causes the computing device to: determine a position of the one or more speakers in the first housing; and determine a position of the one or more microphones in the second housing, wherein to determine the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing comprises to determine the angle of the second housing relative to the first housing based on the position of the one or more speakers in the first housing and the position of the one or more microphones in the second housing. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein the plurality of instructions further causes the computing device to: monitor, with use of a camera, a scene visible by the camera; and determine whether the scene has changed by at least a threshold amount, wherein to generate the one or more ultrasonic sounds comprises to generate the one or more ultrasonic sounds in response to a determination that the scene has changed by at least the threshold amount.