System and method for dynamically allocating monitoring sensors in intelligent walking guard
OwnerIsabella H. Schwartzinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present teaching relates to smart walking guard via dynamically allocated sensors. When a user interacts with a device while walking, the device's location is detected based on information from a designated sensor. Depending on whether the device is in front of or near a side of the user, different sensors on the device are allocated accordingly to detect and detect obstacles in different directions. Based on data from dynamically allocated sensors, a distance to each monitored obstacle is estimated. A warning is issued to the user on the device about each obstacle when it satisfies an alert condition.
Claims20
A method implemented on at least one processor, a memory, and a communication platform for guarding a walking environment, comprising:
- detecting automatically that a user is actively interacting with a device while walking;
- detecting, based on sensor data from a designated one of a plurality of sensors deployed on the device, a location of the device relative to the user either in front of the user's face or near one of the user's ears;
- if the device is held near one of the user's ears,
- further determining if the device is near the user's left ear or the user's right ear,
- allocating remaining of the plurality of sensors to monitor obstacles in distinct directions around the user according to:
- a first configuration if the device is near the user's left ear,
- a second configuration if the device is near the user's right ear;
- if the device is in front of the user's face, allocating, according to a third configuration, the plurality of sensors to monitor obstacles in the distinct directions around the user;
- for each of the obstacles detected in a corresponding direction,
- estimating a distance between the user and the obstacle, and
- delivering, with respect to the obstacle in a corresponding direction, a warning via the device to the user alerting the user about the obstacle in the corresponding direction when the distance satisfies an alert condition.
A machine readable and non-transitory medium having information recorded thereon, wherein the information, when read by the machine, causes the machine to perform the following steps:
- detecting automatically that a user is actively interacting with a device while walking;
- detecting, based on sensor data from a designated one of a plurality of sensors deployed on the device, a location of the device relative to the user either in front of the user's face or near one of the user's ears;
- if the device is held near one of the user's ears,
- further determining if the device is near the user's left ear or the user's right ear,
- allocating remaining of the plurality of sensors to monitor obstacles in distinct directions around the user according to:
- a first configuration if the device is near the user's left ear,
- a second configuration if the device is near the user's right ear;
- if the device is in front of the user's face, allocating, according to a third configuration, the plurality of sensors to monitor obstacles in the distinct directions around the user;
- for each of the obstacles detected in a corresponding direction,
- estimating a distance between the user and the obstacle, and
- delivering, with respect to the obstacle in a corresponding direction, a warning via the device to the user alerting the user about the obstacle in the corresponding direction when the distance satisfies an alert condition.
A system for guarding a walking environment, comprising:
- a device activity detector implemented by a processor and configured for detecting automatically that a user is actively interacting with a device while walking;
- a device position detector implemented by a processor and configured for detecting, based on sensor data from a designated one of a plurality of sensors deployed on the device, a location of the device relative to the user either in front of the user's face or near one of the user's ears;
- a sensor designation determiner implemented by a processor and configured for:
- if the device is near one of the user's ears,
- further determining if the device is near the user's left ear or the user's right ear,
- allocating remaining of the plurality of sensors to monitor obstacles in distinct directions around the user according to:
- a first configuration if the device is near the user's left ear, and
- a second configuration if the device is near the user's right ear, and
- if the device is in front of the user's face, allocating, according to a third configuration, the plurality of sensors to monitor obstacles in the distinct directions around the user;
- at least one distance determiner implemented by a processor and configured for estimating, for each of the obstacles detected in a corresponding direction, a distance between the user and the obstacle;
- and
- a message output controller implemented by a processor and configured for delivering, with respect to each of the obstacles detected in a corresponding direction, a warning via the device to the user alerting the user about the obstacle in the corresponding direction when the distance satisfies an alert condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.