Sequences for ultra-wideband ranging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11729037-B2
Application number	US-202117453164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2021
Priority date	Nov 2, 2020
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

Techniques are provided for utilizing a hybrid of ultra-wideband (UWB) and narrowband (NB) signaling to provide more efficient operating range and operating efficiency. For example, a first device may transmit a packet via an NB signal to a second device, whereby the packet comprises information indicating a time period for reception of a plurality of fragments, respectively, via a UWB signal. The first device may then transmit a first fragment of the plurality of fragments to the second device via the UWB signal, whereby the first fragment comprises an intermediary base sequence, the intermediary base sequence being aperiodic and comprising a first set of first sequences and a second set of second sequences. In some embodiments, the intermediary base sequence may contain at least one gap interval that may be used to identify a signature of the link between the first device and the second device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
transmitting, by a first device, a packet via a narrowband (NB) signal to a second device, the packet comprising information indicating a time period for reception of a plurality of fragments, respectively, via an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal; and
transmitting, by the first device, a first fragment of the plurality of fragments to the second device via the ultra-wideband signal, the first fragment comprising at least one intermediary base sequence, the at least one intermediary base sequence being aperiodic and comprising a first set of first sequences and a second set of second sequences, the first sequences being periodic within the first set and the second sequences being periodic within the second set.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of second sequences follows the first set of first sequences, wherein the intermediary base sequence further comprises a first gap interval and a second gap interval, wherein the first gap interval is included between the first set of first sequences and the second set of second sequences, and wherein the second gap interval follows the second set of second sequences.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein at least one of a first length of the first gap interval or a second length of the second gap interval is communicated between the first device and the second device as a first parameter prior to transmitting the first fragment of the plurality of fragments, and wherein the first parameter is different from a second parameter that is communicated between the first device and a third device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the first device, a second fragment of a second plurality of fragments to the third device via a second ultra-wideband signal, the second fragment being transmitted based at least in part on the second parameter, and wherein the second device is enabled to distinguish the first fragment from the second fragment based at least in part on the difference between the first parameter and the second parameter.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the first parameter is associated with a first signature of a first link between the first device and the second device, wherein the second parameter is associated with a second signature of a second link between the first device and the third device, and wherein the first signature and the second signature are different based at least in part on a difference in gap interval lengths included within intermediary base sequences associated with respective links.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the second device or third device performs signal interference rejection based at least in part on a difference between the first signature and the second signature.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein a first number of different signatures comprises the first signature and the second signature, and wherein the first number of different signatures is greater than a second number of sequence types that comprises the first sequence and the second sequence.

8. A first device, comprising:
a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and one or more processors in communication with the memory and configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to, at least:
transmit a packet via a narrowband (NB) signal to a second device, the packet comprising information indicating a time period for reception of a plurality of fragments, respectively, via an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal; and
transmit a first fragment of the plurality of fragments to the second device via the ultra-wideband signal, the first fragment comprising at least one intermediary base sequence, the at least one intermediary base sequence being aperiodic and comprising a first set of first sequences and a second set of second sequences, the first sequences being periodic within the first set and the second sequences being periodic within the second set.

9. The first device of claim 8 , wherein a first sequence of the first set of first sequences and a second sequence of the second set of second sequences, together, form a pair of complementary sequences.

10. The first device of claim 9 , wherein the pair of complementary sequences comprises a complementary Golay sequence.

11. The first device of claim 8 , wherein at least one of a first sequence of the first set of first sequences or a second sequence of the second set of second sequences has auto-correlation properties.

12. The first device of claim 11 wherein the auto-correlation properties comprise a ternary Ipatov sequence.

13. The first device of claim 8 , wherein at least one of a first sequence of the first set of first sequences or a second sequence of the second set of second sequences comprises a complementary sequence.

14. The first device of claim 13 , wherein the complementary sequence comprises a complementary Golay sequence.

15. The first device of claim 8 , wherein the intermediary base sequence is one of a plurality of periodic intermediary base sequences.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first device, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
transmitting a packet via a narrowband (NB) signal to a second device, the packet comprising information indicating a time period for reception of a plurality of fragments, respectively, via an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal; and
transmitting a first fragment of the plurality of fragments to the second device via the ultra-wideband signal, the first fragment comprising at least one intermediary base sequence, the at least one intermediary base sequence being aperiodic and comprising a first set of first sequences and a second set of second sequences, the first sequences being periodic within the first set and the second sequences being periodic within the second set.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 16 , wherein the second set of second sequences follows the first set of first sequences, wherein the intermediary base sequence further comprises a first gap interval and a second gap interval, wherein the first gap interval is included between the first set of first sequences and the second set of second sequences, and wherein the second gap interval follows the second set of second sequences.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein at least one of a first length of the first gap interval or a second length of the second gap interval is communicated between the first device and the second device as a first parameter prior to transmitting the first fragment of the plurality of fragments, and wherein the first parameter is different from a second parameter that is communicated between the first device and a third device.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further comprise:
transmitting a second fragment of a second plurality of fragments to the third device via a second ultra-wideband signal, the second fragment being transmitted based at least in part on the second parameter, and wherein the second device is enabled to distinguish the first fragment from the second fragment based at least in part on the difference

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hammerschmidt Joachim S
• Mani Santhoshkumar
• Sasoglu Eren

Classifications

• H04L27/26136 Primary

  Pilot sequence conveying additional information · CPC title

• H04L5/0098

  Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands · CPC title

• H04L27/0006

  Assessment of spectral gaps suitable for allocating digitally modulated signals, e.g. for carrier allocation in cognitive radio (for spectrum sharing between different networks H04W16/14) · CPC title

• H04L27/26025

  Numerology, i.e. varying one or more of symbol duration, subcarrier spacing, Fourier transform size, sampling rate or down-clocking (allocating sub-channels of the transmission path H04L5/003) · CPC title

• H04L27/2613 Primary

  Structure of the reference signals · CPC title