Abstract: A device comprises a processor communicatively coupled with an ultrasonic sensor which is configured to repeatedly emit ultrasonic pulses during transmit periods which are interspersed with receive periods. Returned ultrasonic signals corresponding to the emitted ultrasonic pulses are received by the ultrasonic sensor during the receive periods. The processor is configured to direct the ultrasonic sensor to listen, during a listening window, for a potentially interfering ultrasonic signal from a second ultrasonic sensor. The listening window is prior to a transmit period of the transmit periods. In response to detecting the potentially interfering ultrasonic signal during the listening window, the processor is configured to adjust operation of the ultrasonic sensor to avoid an ultrasonic collision with the second ultrasonic sensor to facilitate coexistence of the ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor in an operating environment shared by the ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor.

Abstract: A device comprises a processor coupled with an ultrasonic transducer which is configured to repeatedly emit ultrasonic pulses during transmit periods which are interspersed with listening windows. Each sequential pair of the transmit periods is separated by a single listening window of the listening windows. During a fixed portion of a listening window of the listening windows the ultrasonic transducer is configured to receive returned signals corresponding to an emitted ultrasonic pulse of the ultrasonic pulses which was transmitted during a transmit period of the transmit periods that immediately preceded the listening window. The processor randomizes an overall length of each listening window of the listening windows. The processor directs filtering of returned signals received during a plurality of the randomized listening windows to achieve filtered returned signals. The processor detects, using the filtered returned signals, a moving object in a field of view of the ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: A sensor may be automatically calibrated during manufacture by providing a sensor processing unit having an integrated sensor, performing a check to determine if the integrated sensor has been previously calibrated upon a reset. When it has been determined the integrated sensor has not been previously calibrated, an automated calibration pattern may be imparted to the sensor so that a calibration parameter is determined.

Abstract: A mobile robotic device has a motion sensor assembly configured to provide data for deriving a navigation solution for the mobile robotic device. The mobile robotic device temperature is determined for at least two different epochs so that an accumulated heading error of the navigation solution can be estimated based on the determined temperature at the at least two different epochs. A calibration procedure is then performed for at least one sensor of the motion sensor assembly when the estimated accumulated heading error is outside a desired range.

Abstract: A robotic cleaning appliance includes a housing to which is coupled a surface treatment item and a sensor assembly with first and second transducers and an acoustic interface. The first sonic transducer transmits sonic signals through an acoustic interface and out of a first acoustic opening toward a surface beneath the robotic cleaning appliance. The sonic signals reflect from the surface as corresponding returned signals received by the second sonic transducer via a second acoustic opening port of the acoustic interface. A first plurality of annular rings is defined in the external surface around the first acoustic opening port and a second plurality of annular rings is defined in the external surface around the second acoustic opening port. The pluralities of annular rings attenuate direct path echoes from a subset of the transmitted sonic signals which attempt to travel across the external surface to the second acoustic opening port.

Abstract: A robotic cleaning appliance includes a housing to which is coupled a surface treatment item and a sensor assembly with first and second transducers and an acoustic interface. The first sonic transducer transmits sonic signals through an acoustic interface and out of a first acoustic opening toward a surface beneath the robotic cleaning appliance. The sonic signals reflect from the surface as corresponding returned signals received by the second sonic transducer via a second acoustic opening port of the acoustic interface. A first annular ring is defined around the first acoustic opening port and a second annular rings is defined around the second acoustic opening port. The annular ring attenuate direct path echoes between the acoustic opening ports. The first and second acoustic opening ports are coupled the first and sonic transducers, respectively, via first and second horns; and the horns are tilted from orthogonal with the surface.

Abstract: A sensor may be automatically calibrated during manufacture by providing a sensor processing unit having an integrated sensor, performing a check to determine if the integrated sensor has been previously calibrated upon a reset. When it has been determined the integrated sensor has not been previously calibrated, an automated calibration pattern may be imparted to the sensor so that a calibration parameter is determined.

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.

Abstract: A robotic cleaning appliance includes a sonic transducer and a processor coupled with a housing. The sonic transducer transmits sonic signals toward a surface within its ringdown distance and receives corresponding returned signals. Following cessation of the sonic signals, the processor samples the ringdown signal generated by the sonic transducer during an early portion before the corresponding returned signals have reflected back to the sonic transducer, and during a later portion which includes the corresponding returned signals. The processor utilizes the sampled early portion to estimate a void ringdown signal of which represents performance of the sonic transducer in absence of returned signals being received. The processor compares the estimated void ringdown signal to the later portion of the ringdown signal and generates a metric based on the comparison. The processor utilizes the metric to determine a type of the surface, out of a plurality of surface types.

Abstract: Systems and methods of correcting for signal drift in optical image stabilization of a portable device. An accelerometer is used to obtain an acceleration signal corresponding to acceleration of the portable device. A gravity component is removed from the accelerometer signal to obtain a proper acceleration signal. A double integration is performed on the proper acceleration signal to obtain a translation signal. A drift component of the translation signal is estimated. The estimated drift component is used to generate a drift correction signal. A phase compensation signal is determined based on a plurality of phase responses of a plurality of components of the optical image stabilization system. The drift correction signal and the phase compensation signal are applied to an actuator controller which controls movement of a lens within the portable device as part of the process for optical image stabilization.

Abstract: A synchronization system for an acoustic signal-based and inertial signal-based positioning system is provided that generates a magnetic field as a synchronization signal. The modulated magnetic synchronization signal is transmitted by a transmitter of the positioning system and received by the receiver of the positioning system. The receiver may make an acoustic position determination for the transmitter based on a received modulated synchronization signal and may make an inertial position determination for the transmitter based on the received inertial signal, such that the acoustic position determination and the inertial position determination are fused.

Abstract: A device comprises a processor coupled with an ultrasonic transducer which is configured to emit an ultrasonic pulse and receive corresponding returned signals associated with a distance range of interest in a field of view of the ultrasonic transducer. The processor is configured to: remove a low frequency component from the returned signals to achieve modified returned signals; calculate, from the modified returned signals, a variation in amplitude; determine a quantification of the variation in amplitude for a first subset of the modified returned signals associated with a first subrange of the distance range of interest; employ the quantification to correct for changes in the first subset to achieve first normalized sensor data for the first subrange, where the first normalized sensor data is sensitive to occurrence of change over time in the first subrange; and detect a moving object in the first subrange using the first normalized sensor data.

Abstract: In a method of motion sensor calibration, a motion with which to calibrate a motion sensor is determined. The motion sensor is controlled by a sensor processor and the motion sensor is comprised within a user interface that is coupled with a gaming engine. The sensor processor and the gaming engine coordinate regarding the motion. The sensor processor monitors the motion sensor for evidence of the motion made as a user input via the user interface in response to game content implemented by the gaming engine, based on the coordination, to incite the motion. The sensor processor calibrates the motion sensor with the motion.

Abstract: A pressure sensor of a mobile device may be corrected by receiving reference pressure information from an associated device. The correction using differential pressure measurements may be influenced by one or more determined condition characteristics.

Abstract: A mobile robotic device has a motion sensor assembly configured to provide data for deriving a navigation solution for the mobile robotic device. The mobile robotic device temperature is determined for at least two different epochs so that an accumulated heading error of the navigation solution can be estimated based on the determined temperature at the at least two different epochs. A calibration procedure is then performed for at least one sensor of the motion sensor assembly when the estimated accumulated heading error is outside a desired range.

Abstract: An optical image stabilization system and method which also compensate for translation, in addition to rotation compensation. An accelerometer may be used to detect acceleration movement of the camera which may be used to determine translation movement of the camera. In this way, using the acceleration information, a compensation or stabilization may be achieved in each axis based on a translation movement of the camera or the camera-containing device. In an embodiment, the present invention reduces the unwanted signal drift or undesired phase shift due to integration of the accelerometer sensor signal into the resulting translational movement signal. The various contributions to phase delay from the different aspects or portions of the overall system are assessed so a net amount of phase delay may be determined, such that an equal and opposite amount of phase delay may be introduced in order to bring the net phase delay to zero or close to zero.

Abstract: A method for filtering the signals arising from a sensor assembly (EC) comprising at least one measurement sensor for measuring a vector physical field which is substantially constant over time and in space in a reference frame, said sensor assembly (EC) being tied in motion to a moving frame, moving in the reference frame, the method comprising the steps consisting in: applying a first transformation (T1) to the measurements of a measurement sensor of the sensor assembly (EC) which are provided in the moving frame, to a pseudo reference frame, with the aid of a first change-of-frame operator (R(t)) by rotation between the moving frame and the pseudo reference frame; and applying a filtering (FILT) to the measurements thus transformed in the pseudo reference frame; and applying a second transformation (T2), the inverse of said first transformation, to the measurements filtered by said filtering (FILT), from the reference frame to the moving frame, with the aid of a second change-of-frame operator (R?1(t))

Abstract: An iterative method determines a bias of a sensor for measuring a substantially continuous physical vector field in a reference frame, in which the sensor is linked in movement to a frame that is mobile in the reference frame. An iteration of the method includes: estimating a bias value in the mobile frame, correcting a measurement from the sensor of the estimated bias value, in the mobile frame, transforming the corrected measurement of the mobile frame in the reference frame, from a rotational change of frame operator between the mobile frame and the reference frame, and forming a criterion representative of a variation of the transformed corrected measurement.

Abstract: A method for estimating a path of a moving element or body using a sensor assembly includes: receiving acceleration values provided by an accelerometer; receiving angular velocity values provided by a gyrometer; processing the values provided for estimating at least one angular position value using the angular velocity values and at least two Cartesian position values defining a path of the moving element or body using acceleration values and the at least one previously estimated angular position value; estimating rotation parameters, by inverting a rotational realignment model of the estimated path subject to prior knowledge of the path; retroactively correcting the at least one estimated angular position value, by applying a rotation on this value using estimated rotation parameters, so as to provide at least one corrected angular position value.

Abstract: A synchronization system for an acoustic signal-based and inertial signal-based positioning system is provided that generates a magnetic field as a synchronization signal. The modulated magnetic synchronization signal is transmitted by a transmitter of the positioning system and received by the receiver of the positioning system. The receiver may make an acoustic position determination for the transmitter based on a received modulated synchronization signal and may make an inertial position determination for the transmitter based on the received inertial signal, such that the acoustic position determination and the inertial position determination are fused.