METHODS AND DEVICES FOR PATH-LOSS ESTIMATION

• US 20170064643A1
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Braun, Mark R., Debates, Scott P., Forest, Francis W., Van Bosch, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,244,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• 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 52/14 Separate analysis of uplink or downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method on an electronic device for a wireless network is described. A wireless signal is received from a second electronic device. A receive power level indication for the received wireless signal is determined. A path-loss offset for the received wireless signal is determined based on sensor data that indicates a path-loss condition. A path-loss for the received wireless signal is estimated based on the receive power level indication and the path-loss offset. A function is performed based on the path-loss and the path-loss threshold.

Claims

1. A method in a first electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal from a second electronic device;

determining a receive power level indication for the received wireless signal;

determining a path-loss offset for the received wireless signal based on sensor data that indicates a path-loss condition;

estimating a path-loss for the received wireless signal based on the receive power level indication and the path-loss offset;

performing a function based on the path-loss and the path-loss threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a transmit power level indication for the second electronic device;

wherein estimating the path-loss for the received wireless signal comprises offsetting a difference between the transmit power level indication and the receive power level indication with the path-loss offset to determine the path-loss.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at least a portion of the sensor data from the second electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

selecting a context update interval based on the sensor data;

polling the second device for the portion of the sensor data at the context update interval.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

selecting a context update interval based on the sensor data;

setting an advertising interval of the second device to the context update interval. receiving the portion of the sensor data from the second electronic device at the context update interval.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving the portion of the sensor data comprises:

sending an indication of sensor data to the second electronic device;

receiving the portion of the sensor data in response to the indication of the sensor data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the path-loss offset comprises:

determining that the sensor data indicates a movement type for at least one of the first electronic device or the second electronic device;

selecting the path-loss offset based on the movement type.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the path-loss offset comprises:

determining that the sensor data indicates a device context indicator for at least one of the first electronic device or the second electronic device, wherein the device context indicator affects the receive power level indication;

selecting the path-loss offset based on the device context indicator.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the sensor data indicates at least one of a stowing status, proximity to a face, handheld status, surface positioning, device heading, microphone input, ambient light sensor data, barometric pressure, ambient temperature, global positioning system data, Wi-Fi connection data, Bluetooth™

connection data, Zigbee connection data, accelerometer data, gyroscope data, capacitive sensor data, or location.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein determining that the sensor data indicates the device context indicator comprises determining that the sensor data indicates a plurality of device context indicators that affect the receive power level indication;

wherein selecting the path-loss offset based on the device context indicator comprises;

selecting a condition offset for each of the plurality of device context indicators;

combining the condition offsets for the plurality of device context indicators to obtain the path-loss offset.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the receive power level indication comprises:

performing a procedure on a plurality of receive power level indications over a receive power average interval to determine the receive power level indication;

dynamically adjusting the receive power average interval based on the sensor data.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the receive power level indication comprises:

determining a plurality of receive power level indications;

selecting one or more procedures based on at least one of the sensor data or a device context indicator;

performing the one or more procedures on at least one receive power level indication of the plurality of receive power level indications to determine the receive power level indication.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the function comprises triggering at least one of an alert function, a security function, or a proximity-triggered function.

14. A first electronic device comprising:

a radio transceiver;

a non-transitory memory; and

a processor configured to retrieve instructions from the memory;

wherein;

the radio transceiver is configured to receive a wireless signal from a second electronic device;

the radio transceiver is configured to determine a receive power level indication for the received wireless signal;

the processor is configured to determine a path-loss offset for the received wireless signal based on sensor data that indicates a path-loss condition;

the processor is configured to estimate a path-loss for the received wireless signal based on the receive power level indication and the path-loss offset; and

the processor is configured to perform a function based on the path-loss and the path-loss threshold.

15. The first electronic device of claim 14 wherein the second electronic device is a smart watch, key fob, smart pen, pair of smart glasses, tablet computer, audio headset, or a wearable electronic device.

16. The first electronic device of claim 14 wherein the first electronic device is a tablet computer.

17. The first electronic device of claim 14 wherein the first electronic device is a cellular telephone.