Beamforming training using echoes of an omnidirectional pulse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10408930-B2
Application number	US-201615278980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

Methods and devices for estimating an angle between a transmitter and a receiver for beamforming are provided. A method includes, with an antenna element in a first device, transmitting an omnidirectional pulse and detecting an echo of the pulse reflected from a second device. An angle between the first device and the second device is estimated based at least on a characteristic of the echo. The method includes transmitting the angle to the second device for use in beamforming between the first device and the second device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a first antenna element;
angle estimator circuitry configured to:
cause the first antenna element to transmit an omnidirectional pulse;
cause the first antenna element to detect an echo of the transmitted pulse reflected from a second device;
estimate an angle between the device and the second device based at least on a characteristic of the echo; and
cause the device to provide the angle to the second device.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the omnidirectional pulse comprises discrete coded waveforms.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second antenna element to be disposed a first distance from the first antenna element;
wherein the angle estimator circuitry is further configured to:
cause the second antenna element to transmit the omnidirectional pulse simultaneously with the first antenna element;
cause the second antenna element to detect the echo;
estimate a second distance between the first antenna element and the second device;
estimate a third distance between the second antenna element and the second device; and
estimate the angle based on the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the angle estimator circuitry is configured to detect the echo based on reflection characteristics in a detected signal that indicate that the signal comprises an echo that is reflected from a communication device.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the angle estimator circuitry is configured to cause another angle estimator circuitry associated with the second device to:
cause an antenna element in the second device to transmit a second omnidirectional pulse;
cause the antenna element in the second device to detect a second echo of the second pulse reflected from the device;
estimate an angle between the device and the second device based at least on a characteristic of the second echo; and
cause the second device to transmit the angle to the device.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the angle estimator circuitry is configured to:
cause the first antenna element to detect a subsequent echo of the pulse reflected from a third device;
estimate an angle between the device and the third device based at least on a characteristic of the subsequent echo; and
cause the device to transmit the angle to the third device.

7. A method, comprising:
causing an antenna element in a first device to transmit an omnidirectional pulse; and
detecting an echo of the transmitted pulse reflected from a second device;
estimating an angle between the first device and the second device based at least on a characteristic of the echo; and
providing the angle to the second device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the omnidirectional pulse comprises discrete coded waveforms transmitted by the first antenna element.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
with a second antenna element to be spaced apart from the first antenna element by a first distance:
transmitting the omnidirectional pulse simultaneously with the first antenna element; and
detecting the echo;

estimating a second distance between the first antenna element and the second device;
estimating a third distance between the second antenna element and the second device; and
estimating the angle based on the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance.

10. The method of claim 7 , comprising detecting the echo based on Doppler characteristics in a detected signal that indicate that the detected signal comprises an echo that is reflected from a communication device.

11. The method of claim 7 , comprising receiving an acknowledgement signal from the second device indicating that the detected echo is reflected from the second device.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
causing an antenna element in the second device to transmit a second omnidirectional pulse;
causing the antenna element in the second device to detect a second echo of the second pulse reflected from the device;
estimating an angle between the device and the second device based at least on a characteristic of the second echo; and
causing the second device to transmit the angle to the device.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
detecting a subsequent echo of the pulse reflected from a third device;
estimating an angle between the device and the third device based at least on a characteristic of the subsequent echo; and
transmitting the angle to the third device.

14. Non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
cause an antenna element in a first device to transmit an omnidirectional pulse; and
detect an echo of the transmitted pulse reflected from a second device;
estimate an angle between the first device and the second device based at least on a characteristic of the echo; and
provide the angle to the second device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the omnidirectional pulse comprises discrete coded waveforms.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to:
cause a second antenna element to transmit the omnidirectional pulse simultaneously with the first antenna element, wherein the second antenna element is spaced apart from the first antenna element by a first distance;
cause the second antenna element to detect the echo;
estimate a second distance between the first antenna element and the second device;
estimate a third distance between the second antenna element and the second device; and
estimate the angle based on the first distance, the second distance, and the third distance.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to detect the echo based on reflection characteristics in a detected signal that indicate that the signal comprises an echo that is reflected from a communication device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to cause another computer associated with the second device to:
cause an antenna element in the second device to transmit a second omnidirectional pulse;
cause the antenna element in the second device to detect a second echo of the second pulse reflected from the device;
estimate an angle between the device and the second device based at least on a characteristic of the second echo; and
cause the second device to transmit the angle to the device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to:
cause the first antenna element to detect a subsequent echo of the pulse reflected from a third device;
estimate an angle between the device and the third device based at least on a characteristic of the subsequent echo; and
cause the device to transmit the angle to the third device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the computer to detect the echo based on Doppler characteristics in a detected signal that indicate that the detected signal comprises an echo that is reflected from a communication device.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Karls Ingolf
• Priale Olivares Camila

Classifications

• H01Q3/00

  Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system {(means for positioning H01Q1/125)} · CPC title

• G01S13/48

  using multiple beams at emission or reception · CPC title

• G01S13/06

  Systems determining position data of a target · CPC title

• H04W4/02 Primary

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H01Q21/205

  providing an omnidirectional coverage (turnstile aerials H01Q21/26) · CPC title