ULTRASOUND RANGING FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20140160880A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: HOTELLING, Steven P., KING, Brian Michael, AMM, David, PORTER, Scott P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,707,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

Ultrasonic ranging for mobile devices is disclosed. A mobile device using ultrasonic ranging can include an ultrasound transmitter capable of emitting an ultrasound signal for detection by a proximate device and an ultrasound receiver capable of receiving an ultrasound signal from the proximate device. The mobile device can then use a time lapse associated with one or both of these ultrasound signals to find a range to the proximate device.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

an ultrasound transmitter capable of emitting a first signal to another device; and

an ultrasound receiver capable of receiving a second signal from the other device,

wherein the mobile device is capable of determining a range of the other device based on a time lapse associated with the second signal and independent of the first signal.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

an RF transmitter capable of transmitting an RF signal to the other device.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

an optical transmitter capable of transmitting an optical signal to the other device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio receiver capable of detecting a third signal from an external audio source.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor capable of finding the range based on a time lapse between time of transmission of the second signal and time of receipt of the second signal.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor capable of finding the range based on a time lapse between time of receipt of the second signal and time of receipt of an RF signal received from the other device.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

an electromagnetic transmitter capable of transmitting an electromagnetic wave to the other device to synchronize a clock of the mobile device with a clock of the other device so as to accurately calculate the time lapse.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor capable of finding the range based on a time lapse between a time of receipt of the second signal and a time of transmission of an encoded form of the second signal.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 comprising at least one of a mobile phone, a digital media player, or a personal computer.

10. A method of finding a range of a proximate device, comprising:

receiving an ultrasound signal at a mobile device from the proximate device;

calculating a range of the proximate device at the mobile device based on the received signal;

sharing the calculated range with multiple other proximate devices; and

mapping at least one of a three-dimensional orientation or location of the proximate device and the other proximate devices.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a second ultrasound signal from the mobile device to the proximate device;

recording a time of transmission of the second ultrasound signal at the mobile device; and

recording a time of receipt of the ultrasound signal from the proximate device at the mobile device,

wherein receiving the ultrasound signal comprising receiving the ultrasound signal at the mobile device in response to the proximate device receiving the second ultrasound signal, and

wherein calculating the range comprises calculating the range based on a time lapse between the time of transmission of the second ultrasound signal and the time of receipt of the ultrasound signal.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

searching for a transmission frequency for the ultrasound signal in a less occupied frequency band; and

switching between frequency bands to find the less occupied frequency band.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

recording a time of receipt of the ultrasound signal from the proximate device at the mobile device;

receiving an RF signal at the mobile device from the proximate device; and

recording a time of receipt of the RF signal from the proximate device at the mobile device,

wherein calculating the range comprises calculating the range based on a time lapse between the time of receipt of the ultrasound signal and the time of receipt of the RF signal.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the ultrasound signal comprises receiving an encoded ultrasound signal, the method further comprising:

decoding the encoded ultrasound signal; and

identifying the proximate device from information in the decoded ultrasound signal,

wherein calculating the range comprises calculating the range based on a time lapse between a time of transmission and a time of receipt of the encoded ultrasound signal.

15. A mobile device comprising:

an ultrasound receiver capable of detecting a first signal having a first frequency within a first frequency band;

an audio receiver capable of detecting a second signal having a second frequency within a second frequency band; and

a mitigation component capable of mitigating interference from the first signal at the audio receiver.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the mitigation component comprises an ultrasound equalizer coupled to the audio receiver output and capable of compensating for the first signal at the output of the audio receiver.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the mitigation component comprises an acoustic pipe coupled to the audio receiver and capable of low pass filtering the second signal to the audio receiver and attenuating the first signal at the audio receiver.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the mitigation component comprises a mesh disposed between the ultrasound receiver and the audio receiver and capable of low pass filtering the second signal to the audio receiver and blocking the first signal at the audio receiver.

19. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the mitigation component comprises an acoustic leak on the ultrasound receiver to create a high pass filter capable of isolating the first signal so as to filter out the isolated first signal at the output of the audio receiver.

20-25. -25. (canceled)