Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for determining a navigational constraint for a portable device using an optical sensor. The navigational constraint may be used to supplement other navigational solutions or may be used independently. The optical sensor may capture a plurality of samples to be processed to determine the constraint. Determining the constraint may include any or all of determining a context for usage, distinguishing usage modes, estimating an orientation of the portable device, determining an absolute and/or relative elevation, determining a direction of motion and determining a speed of the portable device from the samples.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for characterizing motion of a platform. Motion sensor data from a portable device having a sensor assembly may be obtained. The portable device may be within the platform and tethered or untethered, and the mobility of the portable device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform. Following a determination the platform is moving, motion dynamics of the portable device that are independent from motion dynamics of the platform may be identified and motion sensor data corresponding to motion of the platform and motion sensor data corresponding to the identified independent motion of the portable device may be separated from the obtained motion sensor data. Accordingly, motion sensor data corresponding to motion of the platform that is independent of motion of the portable device may be output. This may be used to derive operator analytics for assessing performance.

Abstract: An integrated navigation solution is provided for a device within a moving platform. Motion sensor data is obtained from a sensor assembly of the device, radar measurements for the platform are obtained and map information for an environment encompassing the platform is obtained. Correspondingly, an integrated navigation solution is generated based at least in part on the obtained motion sensor data using a nonlinear state estimation technique, wherein the nonlinear state estimation technique uses a nonlinear measurement model for radar measurements. Generating the integrated navigation solution includes using the sensor data with the nonlinear state estimation technique and integrating the radar measurements directly by updating the nonlinear state estimation technique using the nonlinear measurement models and the map information. The integrated navigation solution is then provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for categorizing a device use case for on foot motion with a portable device. Motion sensor data corresponding to motion of the portable device may be obtained, such as from a sensor assembly of the device. The motions sensor data is processed. Further, a use case characteristic may be determined from the processed and/or raw motion sensor data, an effective frequency may be determined from the processed and/or raw motion sensor data and/or an Eigen use case may be determined. The device use case may then be classified using the processed and/or raw motion sensor data and at least one of the use case characteristic, the effective frequency and the Eigen use case.

Abstract: One or more sets of anchor points may be assigned to one or more trajectories of a portable device by scoring each anchor point set with respect to each trajectory. The score for an anchor point set may be determined by cumulating the differences between each anchor point in the set with its closest trajectory segment.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for integrated navigation integrating wireless measurements including at least angle of arrival (AOA) measurements with a navigation solution. This integrated navigation system provides an enhanced integrated navigation solution of a device within a platform (such as for example person, vehicle, or vessel), wherein the device can be strapped or non-strapped within the platform, wherein the device is non-strapped the mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform, and wherein the device can be tilted to any orientation and still provide a seamless navigation solution without degradation in performance of said navigation solution. The device may include sensors such as for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, barometer among others. The present system and method can work whether in the presence or in the absence of absolute navigational information such as, for example, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for cart navigation using a portable device that is conveyed by the cart, but may be tethered or untethered and wherein mobility of the portable device may be constrained or unconstrained within the cart. The cart may be any apparatus propelled by on foot motion of a user. The portable device may have an integrated sensor assembly integrated with at least one sensor outputting data representing motion of the portable device. From the motion sensor data, it may be determined if the portable device is in a cart motion mode, if the cart is moving and an effective motion frequency for the portable device. Further, the motion sensor data may be reconstructed, a heading misalignment angle calculated and steps taken by the user detected. From this information, dead reckoning for the cart may be performed so that a navigation solution may be provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for determining the misalignment between a device and a pedestrian, wherein the pedestrian can carry, hold, or use the device in different orientations in a constrained or unconstrained manner, and wherein the device comprises a sensor assembly. The sensors in the device may be for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, barometer among others. The sensors have a corresponding frame for the sensors' axes. The misalignment between the device and the pedestrian means the misalignment between the frame of the sensor assembly in the device and the frame of the pedestrian. The present method and apparatus can work whether in the presence or in the absence of absolute navigational information updates (such as, for example, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or WiFi positioning).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fast magnetometer calibration with little space coverage is described herein. The present method and apparatus is capable of performing both 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) calibration for a magnetometer (magnetic sensor) and calculating calibration parameters. The present method and apparatus does not need the user to be involved in the calibration process and there are no required specific movements that the user should perform. The present method and apparatus performs magnetometer calibration in 2D or 3D depending on the natural device movements whatever the application that the magnetometer is used in.

Abstract: A survey for building fingerprint maps for an area may be achieved using map information to generate a grid of nodes and links, then transforming the grid to a directed graph, generating an improved tour that entirely traverses the directed graph and providing at least one survey route based at least in part on the tour to a surveyor that will perform the survey route. The provided survey route may be traversed with at least one device having an integrated sensor assembly that outputs data representing motion of the device and recording signal measurements with each device at a plurality of positions to generate a fingerprint map. The traversal of the provided survey route may be assessed through in-route assessment and/or post-route assessment. Depending on the assessment, the provided survey route may be re-traversed or a next survey route may be scheduled.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for estimating speed and/or velocity for a portable device using an optical sensor. The optical sensor may capture a plurality of samples to be processed to estimate speed. The speed or velocity may be estimated based on a determined context and/or usage of the portable device. The estimated speed or velocity may be used to supplement other navigational solutions or may be used independently.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and system for providing and enhanced navigation solution of a device within a platform (such as for example person, vehicle, or vessel of any type), wherein the device is within the platform and may be strapped or non-strapped to the platform, wherein in case of non-strapped the mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform, wherein the enhancement of the navigation solution is through multiple sensor assemblies, wherein the multiple sensors assemblies are not necessarily all on the device, and wherein the multiple sensors assemblies are within the platform. This method works for a navigation solution utilizing measurements from sensors (such as for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers etc.) whether in the presence or in the absence of absolute navigational information (such as, for example, GNSS or WiFi positioning).

Abstract: The positioning/navigation solution of a portable device may be enhanced by obtaining motion sensor data, estimating a trajectory for the portable device from the motion sensor data, obtaining map information for an environment encompassing locations of the portable device, representing the estimated trajectory using a set of connected vectors and performing global shape matching for the set of connected vectors as an aggregate whole from start to end of the trajectory to the map information as a global optimization problem to derive a solution path.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for determining the misalignment between a device and a platform (such as for example a vessel or vehicle) using radius of rotation of the device, wherein mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform. The device may be moved or tilted to any orientation within the platform and still provide a seamless navigation solution without degrading the performance of this navigation solution. This method can utilize measurements (readings) from sensors (such as for example, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.) whether in the presence or in the absence of navigational information updates (such as, for example, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or WiFi positioning).

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and system for estimating varying step length for on foot motion (such as for example walking or running). The present method and apparatus is able to be used in anyone or both of two different phases depending on the embodiment. The first phase is a model-building phase done offline to obtain the nonlinear model for the step length as a function of different parameters that represent human motion dynamics, the model is built using a nonlinear system identification technique. In the second phase the nonlinear model is used to calculate the step length from the different parameters that represent human motion dynamics used as input to the model. These parameters are obtained from sensors readings from the sensors in the apparatus. This second phase is the more frequent usage of the present method and apparatus for a variety of applications.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of enhancing a navigation solution about a device and a platform, wherein the mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform, and wherein the navigation solution is provided even in the absence of normal navigational information updates (such as, for example, GNSS). More specifically, the present method comprises utilizing measurements from sensors (e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers etc.) within the device to calculate and resolve the attitude of the device and the platform, and the attitude misalignment between the device and the platform.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for enhancing a navigation solution of a portable device and a platform. Motion sensor data may be obtained corresponding to motion of the portable device, such that a first filter may be configured to output a navigation solution and at least one second filter may be configured to use the motion sensor data to generate at least one value. The at least one generated value may then be used with the first filter to enhance the navigation solution output by the first filter.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of enhancing a navigation solution about a device and a platform, wherein the mobility of the device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform, and wherein the navigation solution is provided even in the absence of normal navigational information updates (such as, for example, GNSS). More specifically, the present method comprises utilizing measurements from sensors (e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers etc.) within the device to calculate and resolve the attitude of the device and the platform, and the attitude misalignment between the device and the platform.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are disclosed for determining a navigational constraint for a portable device using an ultrasonic sensor. The navigational constraint may be used to supplement other navigational solutions or may be used independently. The ultrasonic sensor may provide a plurality of samples to be processed to determine the constraint. Processing the ultrasonic samples may include performing a flow analysis regarding detected external objects. Determining the constraint may include any or all of determining a context for usage, distinguishing usage modes, estimating relative heading changes, and estimating misalignment angle between device and platform needed to determine direction of motion of the platform and determining a speed of the portable device from the samples.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for characterizing motion of a platform. Motion sensor data from a portable device having a sensor assembly may be obtained. The portable device may be within the platform and tethered or untethered, and the mobility of the portable device may be constrained or unconstrained within the platform. Following a determination the platform is moving, motion dynamics of the portable device that are independent from motion dynamics of the platform may be identified and motion sensor data corresponding to motion of the platform and motion sensor data corresponding to the identified independent motion of the portable device may be separated from the obtained motion sensor data. Accordingly, motion sensor data corresponding to motion of the platform that is independent of motion of the portable device may be output. This may be used to derive operator analytics for assessing performance.