Methods and systems for adjusting an orientation of a light sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10341018-B2
Application number	US-201816211916-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Sep 14, 2016
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for commissioning light fixtures. One method may include receiving, at a mobile device, an encoded light signal from a light fixture in a plurality of light fixtures. The encoded light signal may be decoded to obtain an identifier associated with the light fixture, and a correspondence between the identifier and a plurality of locations of the plurality of light fixtures may be determined.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, at a mobile device, comprising:
determining a current orientation of a light sensor of the mobile device relative to one or more light sources configured to transmit visual light communication (VLC) signals responsive to at least one VLC signal falling below a first threshold, a signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of the at least one VLC signal exceeding a second threshold, or a combination thereof;
determining a preferred orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources for receiving the VLC signals;
generating a prompt to a user through a user interface to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation from the current orientation; and
processing of VLC received at the light sensor following placement of the light sensor in the preferred orientation by the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the prompt to the user through the user interface to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation further comprises:
determining a rotational direction to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation from the current orientation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotational direction comprises a pitch component, a yaw component, a roll component, or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the preferred orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources for receiving the VLC signals further comprises:
determining a direction of a line of sight of a VLC signal from a light source of the one or more light sources; and
determining the preferred orientation of the light sensor by determining an orientation in which a surface of the light sensor is at least approximately perpendicular to the direction of the line of sight of the VLC signal from the light source.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources comprises continually determining the current orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources; and wherein generating the prompt to the user through the user interface further comprises continually updating the prompt to the user in response to changes in the current orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
prompting the user to rotate the mobile device in the determined rotational direction.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein prompting the user to rotate the mobile device in the determined rotational direction further comprises:
providing haptic feedback to the user of the mobile device indicating that the mobile device should be rotated in the determined rotational direction.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein prompting the user to rotate the mobile device in the determined rotational direction further comprises:
providing audible signals to the user of the mobile device indicating that the mobile device should be rotated in the determined rotational direction.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein prompting the user to rotate the mobile device in the determined rotational direction further comprises:
displaying visual prompts to the user of the mobile device indicating that the mobile device should be rotated in the determined rotational direction.

10. A mobile device comprising:
a memory;
a light sensor;
a processor configured to:
determine a current orientation of the light sensor relative to one or more light sources configured to transmit visual light communication (VLC) signals responsive to at least one VLC signal falling below a first threshold, a signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of the at least one VLC signal exceeding a second threshold, or a combination thereof;
determine a preferred orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources for receiving the VLC signals;
generate a prompt to a user through a user interface to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation from the current orientation; and
processing of VLC received at the light sensor following placement of the light sensor in the preferred orientation by the user.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the prompt to the user through the user interface to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation by being configured to:
determine a rotational direction to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation from the current orientation; and
prompt the user to rotate the mobile device in the determined rotational direction.

12. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the preferred orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources for receiving the VLC signals by being configured to:
determine a direction of a line of sight of a VLC signal from a light source of the one or more light sources; and
determine the preferred orientation of the light sensor by determining an orientation in which a surface of the light sensor is at least approximately perpendicular to the direction of the line of sight of the VLC signal from the light source.

13. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the current orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources by being configured to continually determine the current orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources; and
wherein the processor is configured to generate the prompt to the user through the user interface by being configured to continually update the prompt to the user in response to changes in the current orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources.

14. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to prompt the user to rotate the mobile device in the determined rotational direction by being configured to:
provide haptic feedback, audible signals, visual prompts, or any combination thereof to the user of the mobile device indicating that the mobile device should be rotated in the determined rotational direction.

15. A mobile device comprising:
means for determining a current orientation of a light sensor of the mobile device relative to one or more light sources configured to transmit visual light communication (VLC) signals responsive to at least one VLC signal falling below a first threshold, a signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of the at least one VLC signal exceeding a second threshold, or a combination thereof;
means for determining a preferred orientation of the light sensor relative to the one or more light sources for receiving the VLC signals;
means for generating a prompt to a user through a user interface to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation; and
means for processing of VLC received at the light sensor following placement of the light sensor in the preferred orientation by the user.

16. The mobile device of claim 15 , wherein the means for generating the prompt to the user through the user interface to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation further comprises:
means for determining a rotational direction to rotate the mobile device to place the light sensor in the preferred orientation from the current orientation; and
means for prompting the user to rotate the mobile device in the determined rotat

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Agrawal Meghna
• Bitra Suresh Kumar

Classifications

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04B10/116 Primary

  Visible light communication · CPC title

• H04B10/502

  LED transmitters · CPC title

• H05B47/1965

  using handheld communication devices · CPC title