Method and system for determining hinge angle
OwnerJoe Youssef, Bruno Flamentinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein are methods and systems for determining a relative position of different portions of a hinged device. Motion sensor data from sensor assemblies of each portion is fused to relate the device portions to a world frame. An angular orientation between the device portions is determined with respect to the hinge axis and accumulating sensor measurement errors are compensated by constraining determined axes of the sensor assemblies using the motion sensor data and known relationships between physical axes of the sensor assemblies and the mechanical hinge, such that the determined axes of the sensor assemblies are aligned along the hinge axis.
Claims14
A method for determining a relative position of different device portions for a first portion of a device coupled to a second portion of the device by a mechanical hinge with one degree of rotational freedom along a hinge axis, comprising:
- obtaining motion sensor data from a sensor assembly integrated with the first portion of the device, wherein the sensor assembly comprises a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope;
- obtaining motion sensor data from a sensor assembly integrated with the second portion of the device, wherein the sensor assembly comprises a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope;
- performing six-axis sensor fusion for each sensor assembly with the obtained motion sensor data to relate the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device to a world frame;
- determining an angular orientation between the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device with respect to the hinge axis based at least in part to the relation of the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device;
- and
- compensating for accumulating sensor measurement errors in the determination of angular orientation between the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device by constraining a determined axis of the sensor assembly of the first portion with a determined axis of the sensor assembly of the second portion based at least in part on the obtained motion sensor data and known relationships between physical axes of the sensor assemblies and the mechanical hinge, wherein the determined axis of the sensor assembly of the first portion and the determined axis of the sensor assembly of the second portion are aligned along the hinge axis and wherein the device can assume any orientation including an orientation that substantially aligns the mechanical hinge with a gravity vector.
A system for determining a relative position of different device portions, comprising:
- a first portion of a device having an integrated sensor assembly configured to output motion sensor data, wherein the sensor assembly comprises a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope;
- a second portion of the device having an integrated sensor assembly configured to output motion sensor data, wherein the sensor assembly comprises a three-axis accelerometer and a three-axis gyroscope;
- a mechanical hinge with one degree of rotational freedom along a hinge axis coupling the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device;
- and
- at least one processor configured to:
- perform six-axis sensor fusion for each sensor assembly with the motion sensor data to relate the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device to a world frame;
- determine an angular orientation between the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device with respect to the hinge axis based at least in part to the relation of the first portion of the device and the second portion of the device;
- and
- compensate for accumulating sensor measurement errors by constraining a determined axis of the sensor assembly of the first portion with a determined axis of the sensor assembly of the second portion based at least in part on the obtained motion sensor data and known relationships between physical axes of the sensor assemblies and the mechanical hinge, wherein the determined axis of the sensor assembly of the first portion and the determined axis of the sensor assembly of the second portion are aligned along the hinge axis and wherein the device can assume any orientation including an orientation that substantially aligns the mechanical hinge with a gravity vector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.