Methods and apparatus for improved accuracy and positioning estimates

• US 10,499,363 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hiscock, Paul Dominic, Allan, Thomas, Jarvis, Murray, Graube, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US16/134,930
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/84 for distance determination by phase measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/36 with variable phase-shifters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0035 detecting errors in frequency or phase
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, devices and methods for determining a range estimate between two Bluetooth enabled devices based, at least in part, on round trip phase measurements of wireless signals transmitted between the devices. In one example, phase estimates between a single antenna of a first device and each element within the antenna array of a second device may be used to determine a residual range between the first device and the second device. In addition, an Angle of Arrival (AoA) may also be used to determine a two dimensional or three dimensional position of the second device.

Claims

1. A method for a range measurement between two devices, comprising:

transmitting a first carrier signal from an antenna of a first device;

receiving the first carrier signal by a first antenna element of a second device;

receiving the first carrier signal by a second antenna element of the second device;

transmitting a second carrier signal from the first antenna element of the second device;

receiving the second carrier signal by the antenna of the first device;

determining a first phase estimate based on the first carrier signal received by the first antenna element;

determining a second phase estimate based on the first carrier signal received by the second antenna element;

determining a third phase estimate based on the second carrier signal received by the antenna of the first device; and

determining a residual range between the first device and the second device based on the first phase estimate, the second phase estimate, and the third phase estimate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element are part of an antenna array of the second device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a first angle between the antenna of the first device and the antenna array of the second device; and

adjusting a phase of at least one of the first phase estimate, the second phase estimate, or the third phase estimate based on the determined first angle.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining a position of the second device based on the determined residual range and the determined first angle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a third carrier signal by the second antenna element of the second device;

receiving the third carrier signal by the antenna of the first device; and

determining a fourth phase estimate based on the third carrier signal received by the antenna of the first device, wherein determining the residual range between the first device and the second device is based on the first phase estimate, the second phase estimate, the third phase estimate, and the fourth phase estimate.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

transmitting a first carrier signal from an antenna of a first device;

receiving the first carrier signal by a first antenna element of a second device;

receiving the first carrier signal by a second antenna element of the second device;

transmitting a second carrier signal from the first antenna element of the second device;

receiving the second carrier signal by the antenna of the first device;

determining a first phase estimate based on the first carrier signal received by the first antenna element;

determining a second phase estimate based on the first carrier signal received by the second antenna element; and

determining a third phase estimate based on the second carrier signal received by the antenna of the first device; and

determining a residual range between the first device and the second device based on the first phase estimate, the second phase estimate, and the third phase estimate.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element are part of an antenna array of the second device.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, the method further comprising:

determining a first angle between the antenna of the first device and the antenna array of the second device; and

adjusting a phase of the first phase estimate, the second phase estimate, and the third phase estimate based on the determined first angle.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, the method further comprising determining a position of the second device based on the determined residual range and the determined first angle.

10. A wireless device for providing a range estimate, comprising:

a memory;

an antenna;

a processor coupled to the memory and the antenna, the processor configured to;

transmit a first carrier signal from an antenna of a first device;

receive the first carrier signal by a first antenna element of a second device;

receive the first carrier signal by a second antenna element of the second device;

transmit a second carrier signal from the first antenna element of the second device;

receive the second carrier signal by the antenna of the first device;

determine a first phase estimate based on the first carrier signal received by the first antenna element;

determine a second phase estimate based on the first carrier signal received by the second antenna element;

determine a third phase estimate based on the second carrier signal received by the antenna of the first device; and

determine a residual range between the first device and the second device based on the first phase estimate, the second phase estimate, and the third phase estimate.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element are part of an antenna array of the second device.

12. The wireless device of claim 11, the processor further configured to:

determine a first angle between the antenna of the first device and the antenna array of the second device; and

adjust a phase of the first phase estimate, the second phase estimate, and the third phase estimate based on the determined first angle.

13. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a position of the second device based on the determined residual range and the determined first angle.

14. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit a third carrier signal by the second antenna element of the second device;

receive the third carrier signal by the antenna of the first device; and

determine a fourth phase estimate based on the third carrier signal received by the antenna of the first device, wherein determining the residual range between the first device and the second device is based on the first phase estimate, the second phase estimate, the third phase estimate, and the fourth phase estimate.