动作处理器瞄准Android KitKat商机

Google日前发布最新Android 4.4 KitKat操作系统，可在应用处理器关闭的情况下，执行管理实时定位追踪与情境感知等新功能，其目标在于提升电池的续航力。通常这意味着可透过传感器中枢来卸除应用处理器，而InvenSense公司看好KitKat瞄准下一个10亿使用者的庞大商机，直接将这些功能建置于其最新6轴加速度计/陀螺仪的数字动作处理器(DMP)中。

为了提升装置的电池续航力，Google最新Android 4.4 KitKat操作系统可在应用处理器卸除时，由智能传感器提供实时情境感知功能。
Source：Google55Iesmc

InvenSense公司营销与业务开发副总裁Ali Foughi表示，“Google新一代 Android KitKat需要许多新的传感器功能，但这将会造成成本增加或不利于传感器作业的缺点，因此我们推出了内建 DMP 的新款6轴MPU-6515 。” MPU-6515结合了3轴加速度计与3轴陀螺仪于在同封装中，并搭配增强版的 DMP──专门设计用于处理 Android KitKat在AP卸除时所需执行的功能。 “Google KitKat期望传感器能随时启动，以提供立即寻址与情境感知功能，在无需使用传感器中枢的情况下维持电池的低功耗作业；或者，也可以透过我们的芯片方案来实现。” 特别是在传感器中枢闲置期间， Android KitKat可暂时关闭应用处理器，在发生假触发的明显动作中断后才切换响应用处理器。KitKat还需要计步器功能，包括步伐侦测与步数。在需要精确的惯性定位与追踪而应用处理器关闭时，KitKat需要在中断之间采用6轴旋转向量，包括融合加速度计与陀螺仪传感器的输出。新一批模式可以缓冲在显著动作之间的事件。

InvenSense的6轴加速度计/陀螺仪芯片MPU-6545增强其DMP硬件加速引擎，可处理Android KitKat新的情境感知新功能。
Source：InvenSense55Iesmc

“我们可以采用有╱或无传感器中枢的方法，”Foughi说，“这款具有增强版DMP的MPU-6515是专为Android KitKat在AP卸除而传感器中枢处于睡眠模式时所需处理的任务而设计的。” MPU- 6515的尺寸仅3mm x 3mm x 0.9mm，适用于智能手机、平板电脑、可穿戴设备以及物联网(IOT)等设备。其接脚兼容InvenSense上一代的MPU-6500，该组件已应用于Android Jelly Bean设备。该公司表示，新的MPU-6515目前已量产，并已用于几款执行Android KitKat的设备中。 本文授权编译自EE Times，版权所有，谢绝转载 参考英文原文：Motion Processing for Android KitKat，by R. Colin Johnson

相关阅读：
• 为Android设备而生的Sensor Hubs终于来了
• 类似苹果M7的运动协同处理器适用任何移动设备
• 畅想MEMS蓝图：从“传感器融合”走向“数据融合”55Iesmc

{pagination} Motion Processing for Android KitKat R. Colin Johnson PORTLAND, Ore. -- The new Android 4.4 KitKat operating system announced by Google yesterday aims to save battery life by mandating that real-time location tracking and contextual awareness functions run in the background while the application processor is off. Usually, that means using a sensor hub to offload the application processor, but in anticipation of KitKat, InvenSense has built those functions into the on-chip digital motion processor (DMP) of its recently announced six-axis combo accelerometer/gyroscope. To keep the battery from running down, Google's new Android 4.4 KitKat operating system mandates that smart sensors provide real-time contextual awareness functions while the application processor is off. (Source: Google) "Google's new Android KitKat requires that many new sensor functions to run either in a sensor hub, which has the disadvantage of added cost, or in the sensor itself, which is the case with our new six-axis MPU-6515, which has its own digital motion processor." Ali Foughi, vice president of marketing and business development at InvenSense, told us. The MPU-6515 combines a three-axis accelerometer with a three-axis gyroscope in the same package with an enhanced version of its DMP that has been specifically geared to handle the functions Android KitKat mandates running while the application processor is off. "Google with KitKat wants the sensor to be on more of the time, to provide real-time location and context awareness features, which would run the battery down without a sensor hub or, alternatively, using our chip." In particular, during periods of inactivity, Android KitKat aims to shut down the application processor and then wait for a "significant-motion" interrupt with fewer false triggers before switching the application processor back on. KitKat also requires that pedometer functions, including step detect and step count, run in the background. For accurate inertial location tracking while the application processor is off, KitKat requires that six-axis rotation vectors, which involve fusing the outputs of accelerometer and gyroscope sensors, be taken periodically between interrupts. And a new batch mode allows for buffering these events between significant-motion interrupts. Invensense's MPU-6515 six-axis combo accelerometer and gyroscope chip has enhanced its on-chip digital motion processor to handle new contextual awareness in Android KitKat. "We can work with a hub or hubless approach," said Foughi. "Our new MPU-6515 with enhanced DMP has been designed to handle Android KitKat functions while the application processor and the hub, if present, is asleep." The MPU-6515 measures a scant 3 mm by 3 mm by 0.9 mm for use in smartphones, tablets, wearables, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It is pin-compatible with InvenSense's previous MPU-6500 model, which is being used in Android Jelly Bean devices. The company said the new version is in production and has already been adopted by several devices (which it would not name) running Android KitKat.