Abstract: A sensing apparatus for characterizing current flow through a conductor includes a plurality of magnetic sensors. In some embodiments, the sensors are grouped in pairs to achieve common mode rejection of signals generated in response to magnetic fields not resulting from current flow through the conductor. Sensors having different levels of sensitivity are used to collect information regarding the magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the conductor, where such information is processed in order to characterize the magnetic field. In some cases the sensors are included on or in flexible material that can be wrapped around the conductor.

Abstract: A sensing apparatus for characterizing current flow through a conductor includes a plurality of magnetic sensors. In some embodiments, the sensors are grouped in pairs to achieve common mode rejection of signals generated in response to magnetic fields not resulting from current flow through the conductor. Sensors having different levels of sensitivity are used to collect information regarding the magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the conductor, where such information is processed in order to characterize the magnetic field. In some cases the sensors are included on or in flexible material that can be wrapped around the conductor.

Abstract: A microcontroller-based method and apparatus are described for measuring motions signals (301) with a plurality of inertial sensors (302-304) contained within a device package housing and validating (420) a first measured motion signal (e.g., ?X) by generating at least a first estimated value ?X for the first motion signal (e.g., 419) based on at least a second measured motion signal (e.g., AY) and for comparing the first estimated value for the first motion signal (419) to the first measured motion signal ?X in order to validate the first measured motion signal ?X.

Abstract: A seat assembly is provided with a seat bottom, a seat back, and a plurality of sensors operably connected to at least one of the seat bottom and the seat back to detect a seating condition of a seated occupant. A controller is in electrical communication with the plurality of sensors and the at least one actuator. The controller is programmed to receive input from the plurality of sensors indicative of a seating condition of the seated occupant. The seating condition of the seated occupant is compared to stored seating conditions of prior seat occupants to determine that the seated occupant is a prior occupant.

Abstract: A sensing apparatus for characterizing current flow through a conductor includes a plurality of magnetic sensors. In some embodiments, the sensors are grouped in pairs to achieve common mode rejection of signals generated in response to magnetic fields not resulting from current flow through the conductor. Sensors having different levels of sensitivity are used to collect information regarding the magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the conductor, where such information is processed in order to characterize the magnetic field. In some cases the sensors are included on or in flexible material that can be wrapped around the conductor.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided to customize response of devices to inputs received by a variety of sensors on those devices. Data samples of a desired input event are gathered and then those data samples are transmitted to a remote server computer for analysis. The analysis provided by the remote server computer results in a unique “signature” for the desired input event. This signature is then transmitted back to the device, which then stores the signature for use in subsequent input event analysis by the device. In this manner, the device can be customized to interpret a particular input provided by a particular user in order to elicit a specified response by the device.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for the collection, processing, storage, communication and use of data generated by an array of sensors connected to a body for the purposes of monitoring and measuring sequences of body structural motion (exercises). This training and feedback may be used to aid in the development of specific muscle memory for specific actions. Analysis of the collected data is employed to aid the user in accomplishing more efficient and effective physical training. Data may also be used by 3rd parties to monitor performance and update training regimes.

Abstract: A microcontroller-based method and apparatus are described for generating one or more amplitude and frequency selectable low frequency pilot tone signals (PT) that are injected into an embedded MEMS sensor (110) and mixed signal ASIC (120) and then recovered at the microcontroller (140) to compute or measure various gyro parameters during operational use of the device with no down time or interference with normal operations.

Abstract: A low-cost technique to improve the performance of optical disk drives is presented. An algorithm is used to decouple electro-mechanical actuators thus compensating for inaccuracies in the control of the actuators. A similar method can be used to decouple the position sensors. Prior art methods treated cross-coupling between focus, tracking and sled control loops as noise and therefore increased the bandwidth of the system, also increasing the cost of the optical disk drive. The present disclosure actively decouples the control loops using a software algorithm to provide better performing optical disk drives. The cross-coupling effects are measured, a decoupling matrix is determined, and the output of the control laws is modified so as to decouple the actuators.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for the generation, collection and use of specific user-induced motions of an appliance device and the use of the correspondence between these collected measures of user-induced motions and previously generated and possibly stored measures of user-induced motions of an appliance device are provided. This system includes methods for generating the stored measures of user-induced motions and for continuously updating these stored references.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for applying stress-induced offset compensation and/or scale factor correction in sensor devices are provided. One sensor device (100, 300, 500, 700) includes an integrated circuit device (110, 310, 510, 710), a transducer (120, 320, 520, 720) coupled to the ASIC device, and a stress sensor (130, 330, 530, 730) coupled to the transducer or the integrated circuit device and configured to measure stress on the sensor device independent of the transducer. Another sensor device (900) includes a transducer, a sensor package (940) enclosing the transducer, and a stress sensor (930) coupled to the sensor device package and configured to measure stress on the sensor device independent of the transducer. A method includes detecting, via a stress sensor, an amount of stress being applied to the sensor device and adjusting, via the stress sensor and independent of the transducer, an output of the sensor device by the detected amount of stress.

Abstract: An inertial sensor has a transducer with a sense resonator. The sense resonator is oscillated. A signal responsive to the oscillation is provided. A first baseband signal and a second baseband signal are provided responsive to the signal responsive to the oscillation of the sense resonator. A signal for controlling a resonance frequency of the sense resonator is provided responsive to performing a Goertzel algorithm on the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal. One use of controlling the resonance frequency is to control an offset between the resonance frequency of the sense resonator and the frequency of the oscillation of drive masses in the sense resonator. Using the Goertzel algorithm is particularly efficient in controlling the resonance frequency.

Abstract: A method of de-interlacing interlaced video information including determining functional equations which estimate trajectories of corresponding pixel locations based on statistical information, updating each functional equation with sampled pixel values from the interlaced video information of corresponding pixel locations, and evaluating the functional equations at a time point of a progressive frame and providing corresponding progressive pixel values. A video de-interlace system including a trajectory estimator and a component estimator. The trajectory estimator provides functional equations estimating trajectories of tracked pixel locations based on statistical information. The component estimator receives the functional equations and the interlaced video information and provides progressive pixel values.

Abstract: A microcontroller-based method and apparatus are described for measuring motions signals (301) with a plurality of inertial sensors (302-304) contained within a device package housing and validating (420) a first measured motion signal (e.g., ?X) by generating at least a first estimated value ?X for the first motion signal (e.g., 419) based on at least a second measured motion signal (e.g., AY) and for comparing the first estimated value for the first motion signal (419) to the first measured motion signal ?X in order to validate the first measured motion signal ?X.

Abstract: A microcontroller-based method and apparatus are described for generating one or more amplitude and frequency selectable low frequency pilot tone signals (PT) that are injected into an embedded MEMS sensor (110) and mixed signal ASIC (120) and then recovered at the microcontroller (140) to compute or measure various gyro parameters during operational use of the device with no down time or interference with normal operations.

Abstract: A method of de-interlacing input video information including averaging odd lines and averaging even lines of the input video information to determine first and second in-field information, determining differences between even and odd lines of the input video information to provide residue information, measuring a motion metric of the residue information, filtering the residue information based on the motion metric to provide filtered residue information, and combining the first and second in-field information with the filtered residue information to provide progressive information. The combining may be an average of the in-field information added to a weighted portion of the filtered residue information as determined by the motion metric. The motion metric may be determined by an infinite impulse response filter. Finite impulse response filters may be used to filter the residue information.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for applying stress-induced offset compensation and/or scale factor correction in sensor devices are provided. One sensor device (100, 300, 500, 700) includes an integrated circuit device (110, 310, 510, 710), a transducer (120, 320, 520, 720) coupled to the ASIC device, and a stress sensor (130, 330, 530, 730) coupled to the transducer or the integrated circuit device and configured to measure stress on the sensor device independent of the transducer. Another sensor device (900) includes a transducer, a sensor package (940) enclosing the transducer, and a stress sensor (930) coupled to the sensor device package and configured to measure stress on the sensor device independent of the transducer. A method includes detecting, via a stress sensor, an amount of stress being applied to the sensor device and adjusting, via the stress sensor and independent of the transducer, an output of the sensor device by the detected amount of stress.

Abstract: An inertial sensor has a transducer with a sense resonator. The sense resonator is oscillated. A signal responsive to the oscillation is provided. A first baseband signal and a second baseband signal are provided responsive to the signal responsive to the oscillation of the sense resonator. A signal for controlling a resonance frequency of the sense resonator is provided responsive to performing a Goertzel algorithm on the first baseband signal and the second baseband signal. One use of controlling the resonance frequency is to control an offset between the resonance frequency of the sense resonator and the frequency of the oscillation of drive masses in the sense resonator. Using the Goertzel algorithm is particularly efficient in controlling the resonance frequency.

Abstract: A method of de-interlacing interlaced video information including determining functional equations which estimate trajectories of corresponding pixel locations based on statistical information, updating each functional equation with sampled pixel values from the interlaced video information of corresponding pixel locations, and evaluating the functional equations at a time point of a progressive frame and providing corresponding progressive pixel values. A video de-interlace system including a trajectory estimator and a component estimator. The trajectory estimator provides functional equations estimating trajectories of tracked pixel locations based on statistical information. The component estimator receives the functional equations and the interlaced video information and provides progressive pixel values.

Abstract: A method of de-interlacing input video information including averaging odd lines and averaging even lines of the input video information to determine first and second in-field information, determining differences between even and odd lines of the input video information to provide residue information, measuring a motion metric of the residue information, filtering the residue information based on the motion metric to provide filtered residue information, and combining the first and second in-field information with the filtered residue information to provide progressive information. The combining may be an average of the in-field information added to a weighted portion of the filtered residue information as determined by the motion metric. The motion metric may be determined by an infinite impulse response filter. Finite impulse response filters may be used to filter the residue information.