Power efficient use of a depth sensor on a mobile device

A mobile device for tracking pose, the mobile device comprising:

• an image capture device configured to capture a plurality of images;
• a pose module coupled to the image capture device and configured to compute a pose based at least in part on one of the plurality of images;
• a depth sensor configured to send a first depth map;
• a comparator module configured to compare a first measurement to a first threshold to determine that the first measurement exceed the first threshold;
• a depth sensor trigger module coupled to the depth sensor and the comparator module, and configured to enable the depth sensor based, at least in part, on comparing the first measurement;
• a depth sensor pose module coupled to the depth sensor and configured to compute a depth sensor pose based in part on the first depth map;
• and
• a pose tracking filter module:
• coupled to the pose module and the depth sensor pose module;
• configured to receive the pose and the depth sensor pose;
• and
• provide an estimated pose.

A mobile device for tracking pose of the mobile device, the mobile device comprising:

• means for receiving, from an image capture device, a plurality of images;
• means for computing a pose based at least in part on one of the plurality of images;
• means for sending the pose to a pose tracking filter module;
• means for comparing a first measurement to a first threshold to determine that the first measurement exceeds the first threshold;
• means for enabling a depth sensor based, at least in part, on comparing the first measurement;
• means for receiving a first depth map;
• means for computing a depth sensor pose based in part on the first depth map;
• and
• means for providing the depth sensor pose to the pose tracking filter module.

A non-transient computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon, comprising program code for a mobile device for tracking pose of the mobile device, the program code comprising code to:

• receive, from an image capture device, a plurality of images;
• compute a pose based at least in part on one of the plurality of images;
• send the pose to a pose tracking filter module;
• compare a first measurement to a first threshold to determine that the first measurement exceed the first threshold;
• enable a depth sensor based, at least in part, on comparing the first measurement;
• receive a first depth map;
• compute a depth sensor pose based in part on the first depth map;
• and
• provide the depth sensor pose to the pose tracking filter module.