Guided installation for an opening sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10074248-B2
Application number	US-201715823027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2017
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

Systems and techniques are provided for guided installation of an opening sensor. A strength of a magnetic field created by a magnet of an opening sensor at a location of a magnetometer sensor of the opening sensor may be determined. Feedback may be provided to an installer of the opening sensor based on the determined strength of the magnetic field. A function of the opening sensor may be configured based on the determined strength of the magnetic field. The function may be associated with reporting the status of an entry point to which the magnetometer sensor may be affixed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining, at a magnetometer sensor, a strength of a magnetic field created by a magnet; and
providing, using a feedback device, feedback indicating one of more than two discrete ranges of distance between the magnet and the magnetometer sensor, wherein the feedback is based on the determined strength of the magnetic field, wherein a first one of the indicated ranges of distance corresponds to saturation of the magnetometer sensor by the magnetic field, such that if a distance between the magnet and the magnetometer sensor is within the first range, the magnetometer sensor is saturated.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback device is a part of the magnetometer sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback device is a part of at least one of:
a separate computing device,
a tablet computer,
a smartphone,
a smartwatch,
a laptop computer,
a desktop computer, or
a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnet is in one of a plurality of zones relative to the magnetometer sensor, and the plurality of zones comprises:
a first zone between the magnetometer sensor and a first threshold distance,
a second zone between the first threshold distance and a second threshold distance farther from the magnetometer sensor than the first threshold distance,
a third zone between the second threshold distance and a third threshold distance farther from the magnetometer sensor than the second threshold distance, and
a fourth zone beyond the third threshold distance and extending away from the magnetometer sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the strength of the magnetic field further comprises adjusting, based on a geomagnetic field, the determination of the strength of the magnetic field.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback provided changes when the determined strength of the magnetic field from the magnet changes due to a change in a relative distance between the magnet and the magnetometer sensor.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the providing feedback based on the determined strength of the magnetic field further comprises:
causing the feedback device to provide a first indication when the magnet in the first zone;
causing the feedback device to provide a second indication when the magnet is the second zone;
causing the feedback device to provide a third indication when the magnet in the third zone; and
causing the feedback device to provide a fourth indication when the magnet is in the fourth zone.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising configuring a function of an opening sensor comprising the magnetometer sensor based on the determined strength of the magnetic field, including at least one of:
enabling reporting a partial opening of an entry point when the magnet is in the first zone;
enabling reporting a partial opening of the entry point when the magnet is in the second zone;
disabling reporting a partial opening of the entry point when the magnet is in the third zone; and
disabling reporting any opening of the entry point when the magnet is in the fourth zone.

9. A system, comprising:
a magnetometer configured to detect a magnetic field of a magnet;
a processor configured to:
receive, from the magnetometer, data indicating a strength of the magnetic field, and
determine, from the data, feedback indicating the strength of the magnetic field, wherein the feedback indicates more than two discrete ranges of distance between the magnet and the magnetometer; and

a feedback device configured to provide the feedback, wherein a first one of the indicated ranges of distance corresponds to saturation of the magnetometer by the magnetic field such that, if a distance between the magnet and the magnetometer is within the first range, the magnetometer is saturated.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the feedback device is a part of the magnetometer.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the feedback device is a part of at least one of:
a separate computing device,
a tablet computer,
a smartphone,
a smartwatch,
a laptop computer,
a desktop computer, or
a combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the strength of the magnetic field as corresponding to one of a plurality of zones.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the magnet is configured to be affixed to a stationary portion of an entry point and the magnetometer is configured to be affixed to a moving portion of an entry point.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of zones comprises:
a first zone between the magnetometer and a first threshold distance;
a second zone between the first threshold distance and a second threshold distance farther from the magnetometer than the first threshold distance;
a third zone between the second threshold distance and a third threshold distance farther from the magnetometer than the second threshold distance; and
a fourth zone beyond the fourth threshold distance and extending away from the magnetometer.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to provide, via the feedback device:
a first indication when the magnet in the first zone;
a second indication when the magnet is the second zone;
a third indication when the magnet in the third zone; and
a fourth indication when the magnet is in the fourth zone.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
enable reporting partial opening of an entry point when the magnet is in the first zone;
enable reporting partial opening of the entry point when the magnet is in the second zone;
disable reporting partial opening of the entry point when the magnet is in the third zone; and
disable reporting any opening of the entry point when the magnet is in the fourth zone.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a magnetometer, data indicating a strength of a magnetic field;
determining, from the data, feedback indicating the strength of the magnetic field, wherein the feedback indicates one of more than two discrete ranges of distance between the magnet and the magnetometer; and
outputting the feedback to a feedback device,
wherein a first one of the indicated ranges of distance corresponds to saturation of the magnetometer sensor by the magnetic field such that, if a distance between the magnet and the magnetometer sensor is within the first range, the magnetometer sensor is saturated.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the feedback further comprises:
causing the feedback device to provide a first indication when the magnet in a first zone between the magnetometer and a first threshold distance;
causing the feedback device to provide a second indication when the magnet is a second zone between the first threshold distance and a second threshold distance farther from the magnetometer than the first threshold distance;
causing the feedback device to provide a third indication when the magnet in a third zone between the second threshold distance and a third threshold distance farther from the magnetometer than the second threshold distance; and
causing the feedback device to provide a fourth indication when the magnet is in a fourth zone beyond the third threshold distance and extending away from the magnetometer.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of cl

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Modi Yash
• Au Lawrence
• Peterson Kevin Charles
• Ma Shao-Po

Classifications

• G08B13/08 Primary

  by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind · CPC title

• G08B5/36

  using visible light sources · CPC title

• G01B7/14

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B7/30 takes precedence) · CPC title