Methods and systems for ranging protocol

• US 10,716,024 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Aldana, Carlos, Zhang, Xiaoxin
• Primary Examiner(s): Rutkowski, Jeffrey M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Chae S
• Application Number:
  US14/826,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20160080960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/787 co-operating with direction defining beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods and devices for measuring a range between wireless devices using an exchange of messages between devices. For example, wireless transceiver devices may exchange messages transmitted in a wireless communications link to measure a time of flight. Based, at least in part, on the measured time of flight, a location of one of the wireless transceiver devices may be estimated.

Claims

1. At a first wireless transceiver device, a method comprising:

receiving a plurality of fine timing measurement (FTM) messages from a second wireless transceiver device, the plurality of FTM messages having been transmitted in response to receipt of an FTM request message at the second wireless transceiver device, the FTM request message having been transmitted from a third wireless transceiver device;

receiving a block acknowledgement request message from the second mobile device comprising one or more parameters based at least in part, on times of transmission of the plurality of FTM messages; and

transmitting a block acknowledgement message in response to receipt of the block acknowledgement request message, wherein the block acknowledgement message includes at least one time of flight value that is based at least in part on the times of transmission of the plurality of FTM messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the block acknowledgment message further comprises an estimated short interframe space (SIFS), the method further comprising receiving a report message from the second wireless transceiver device comprising a round trip time computed based, at least in part, on the estimated SIFS.

3. At a first wireless transceiver device, a method comprising:

receiving a fine timing measurement (FTM) request message transmitted from a second wireless transceiver device;

transmitting a plurality of FTM messages in response to receipt of the FTM request message transmitted from the second wireless transceiver device;

transmitting a block acknowledgment request message, the block acknowledgment request message comprising one or more parameters based, at least in part, on transmission times of the plurality of FTM messages; and

receiving a block acknowledgement message transmitted by a third wireless transceiver device in response to receipt of the block acknowledgment request message at the third wireless transceiver device, wherein the block acknowledgement message includes at least one time of flight value that is based at least in part on the transmission times of the plurality of FTM messages.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the block acknowledgment request message comprises one or more parameters based, at least in part, on differences in transmission times of consecutive of FTM messages transmitted from the first wireless transceiver device.

5. A first wireless transceiver device, comprising:

a transceiver to transmit messages to and receive messages from a wireless communication network; and

one or more processors configured to;

obtain a plurality of fine timing measurement (FTM) messages received at the transceiver from a second wireless transceiver device, the plurality of FTM messages having been transmitted in response to receipt of an FTM request message at the second wireless transceiver device the FTM request message having been transmitted from a third wireless transceiver device;

obtain a block acknowledgment request message received at the transceiver and transmitted from the second wireless transceiver device, the block acknowledgement request message comprising one or more parameters based, at least in part, on times of transmission of the plurality of FTM messages; and

initiate transmission of a block acknowledgement message through the transceiver in response to receipt of the block acknowledgement request message, wherein the block acknowledgment message includes at least one time of flight value that is based at least in part on the times of transmission of the plurality of FTM messages.

6. A first wireless transceiver device comprising:

a transceiver; and

one or more processors configured to;

obtain a fine timing measurement (FTM) request message received at the transceiver and transmitted from a second wireless transceiver device;

initiate transmission of a plurality of FTM messages through the transceiver in response to receipt of the FTM request message transmitted from the second wireless transceiver device;

initiate transmission of a block acknowledgement request message through the transceiver comprising one or more parameters based, at least in part, on transmission times of the plurality of FTM messages;

obtain a block acknowledgement message received at the transceiver and transmitted by a third wireless transceiver device in response to receipt of the block acknowledgement request message at the third wireless transceiver device, wherein the block acknowledgement message includes at least one time of flight value that is based at least in part on the transmission times of the plurality of FTM messages.

7. The first wireless transceiver device of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors configured to obtain a second block acknowledgment message obtained at the transceiver and transmitted by the second wireless transceiver device.