Radio communication device and method of measuring distance

• US 6,611,233 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kimura, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US09/878,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20020014990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 342/109, 342/118, 342/357.06, 342/458, 342/463
• US Class Current: 342/458
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/08 using synchronised clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems

Abstract

A radio communication device and a method of measuring distance is capable of easily obtaining a distance and a positional relation between a portable telephone 3A and a portable telephone 3B directly, not via a base station. The portable telephone 3A directly transmits a measurement pilot signal used for calculating a distance between its current position and the portable telephone 3B, to the portable telephone 3B via a radio interface for short distance 15, receives a pilot response signal in response to the measurement pilot signal from the portable telephone 3B, and then calculates a distance between the portable telephone 3A and the portable telephone 3B based on the pilot response signal and the measurement pilot signal, thus making it possible to easily obtain a distance and a positional relation between itself and the portable telephone 3B by directly communicating the pilot response signal and measurement pilot signal with the portable telephone 3B, not via the base station.

Claims

1. A radio communication device comprising:

cellular communication means for communicating with an other radio communication device;

radio communication means for directly transmitting a predetermined measurement signal to a target for measurement, said predetermined measurement signal being used for calculating a distance between a current position of said device and said target for measurement; and

calculating means for calculating said distance between said current position and said target for measurement based on a response signal transmitted from said target for measurement and said predetermined measurement signal after said radio communication means receives said response signal in response to said measurement signal.

2. The radio communication device according to claim 1, wherein:

said predetermined measurement signal is main positional information based on a global positioning system (GPS) representing said current position of said radio communication device; and

said response signal is companion positional information based on said GPS representing a current position of said target for measurement.

3. The radio communication device according to claim 1, wherein:

said measurement signal is standard time information representing a transmission time when said radio communication device directly transmits to said target for measurement; and

said response signal is reception time information representing a reception time when said target for measurement receives said predetermined measurement signal from said radio communication device.

4. The radio communication device according to claim 3, wherein

said standard time information and said reception time information synchronize in absolute time.

5. The radio communication device according to claim 1, wherein

said calculating means obtains a positional relation between said radio communication device and said target for measurement by comparing said distance calculated with a distance calculated just before said calculation.

6. A distance measuring method comprising the steps of:

directly transmitting a predetermined measurement signal from a radio communication device that includes cellular communication means for communicating with an other radio communication device to a target for measurement via radio communication means, said predetermined measurement signal being used for calculating a distance between a current position of said radio communication device and said target for measurement; and

calculating said distance between said current position and said target for measurement based on a response signal transmitted from said target for measurement and said predetermined measurement signal, after receiving said response signal in response to said measurement signal.

7. The distance measuring method according to claim 6, wherein:

said predetermined measurement signal is main positional information based on a global positioning system (GPS) representing said current position of said radio communication device; and

said response signal is companion positional information based on said GPS representing a current position of said target for measurement.

8. The distance measuring method according to claim 6, wherein:

said measurement signal is standard time information representing a transmission time when said radio communication device directly transmits said predetermined measurement signal to said target for measurement; and

said response signal is reception time information representing a reception time when said target for measurement receives said predetermined measurement signal from said radio communication device.

9. The distance measuring method according to claim 8, wherein

said standard time information and said reception time information synchronize in absolute time.

10. The distance measuring method according to claim 8, wherein

said calculating means obtains a positional relation between said radio communication device and said target for measurement by comparing said distance calculated with a distance calculated just before calculation.

11. A radio communication device comprising:

cellular communication means for communicating with an other radio communication device;

radio communicating means for directly transmitting standard time information to a target for measurement, said standard time information representing a transmission time toward said target for measurement and being used for calculating a distance between a current position of said device and said target for measurement; and

calculating means for calculating said distance between said current position and said target for measurement based on said standard time information and reception time information transmitted from said target for measurement, after said radio communicating means receives said reception time information of said standard time information.

12. A distance measuring method comprising the steps of:

directly transmitting standard time information to a target for measurement, said standard time information representing a transmission time to said target for measurement and being used for calculating a distance between a current position of a radio communication device that includes cellular communication means for communicating with an other radio communication device and said target for measurement; and

calculating said distance between said current position and said target for measurement based on said standard time information and reception time information transmitted from said target for measurement, after receiving said reception time information of said standard time information.

13. A radio communication device comprising:

cellular communication means for communicating with an other radio communication device;

radio communication means for directly transmitting standard time information to a target for measurement, said standard time information showing a transmission time to said target for measurement and being used for calculating a distance between a current position of said device and said target for measurement; and

calculating means for calculating said distance between said current position and said target for measurement based on said standard time information and reception time information after said radio communication means receives said reception time information of said standard time information, which synchronizes with said standard time information in absolute time, from said target for measurement.

14. A distance measuring method comprising the steps of:

directly transmitting standard time information to a target for management, said standard time information showing a transmission time to said target for measurement and being used for calculating a distance between a current position of a radio communication device that includes cellular communication means for communicating with an other radio communication device and said target for measurement; and

calculating said distance between said current position and said target for measurement based on said standard time information and reception time information after receiving said reception time information of said standard time information, which synchronizes with said standard time information in absolute time, from said target for measurement.