Electronic device for determining position of external electronic device and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11982733-B2
Application number	US-202016980735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2020
Priority date	Sep 10, 2019
Publication date	May 14, 2024
Grant date	May 14, 2024

Abstract

A portable electronic device is disclosed that includes a communication circuit electrically connected to a first antenna or a third antenna and electrically connected to a second antenna, at least one processor, and a memory. The memory may store one or more instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to receive a first signal including first data from an external electronic device using the first antenna and the second antenna, receive a second signal including second data from the external electronic device using the third antenna, and determine a position of the external electronic device based on a phase difference of the first signal, time information of the first data, and time information of the second data. In addition to the above, various embodiments understood through the present disclosure are possible.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a communication circuit electrically connected to a first antenna or a third antenna and electrically connected to a second antenna;
a processor operatively connected with the communication circuit; and
a memory operatively connected with the processor,
wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
receive, from an external electronic device, a first signal including first data using the first antenna and the second antenna,
receive, from the external electronic device, a second signal including second data using the third antenna, and
determine a position of the external electronic device based on a phase difference of the first signal, time information of the first data, and time information of the second data.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are located within a first distance of each other for performing beamforming on the first signal,
wherein the third antenna is spaced apart from the first antenna or the second antenna by a second distance, and
wherein the second distance is longer than the first distance.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna is not located on a same straight line, and
wherein the second distance is based on a resolution of positioning using the first signal.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
identify a plurality of candidate directions of the external electronic device based on a phase difference of the first signal, and
identify a third distance between the portable electronic device and the external electronic device based on the time information of the first data.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
identify a fourth distance between the third antenna and the external electronic device based on the time information of the second data, and
determine the position of the external electronic device based on the plurality of candidate directions, the third distance, and the fourth distance.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
transmit a third signal to the external electronic device using the first antenna,
receive the first signal including the first data from the external electronic device in response to the third signal,
transmit a fourth signal to the external electronic device using the third antenna, and
receive the second signal including the second data from the external electronic device in response to the fourth signal.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the time information of the first data includes response time information indicating a time taken by the external electronic device to transmit the first signal, after receiving the third signal, and
wherein the time information of the second data includes response time information indicating a time taken by the external electronic device to transmit the second signal, after receiving the fourth signal.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor includes a first communication processor configured to provide communication based on a first communication protocol and a second communication processor configured to provide communication based on a second communication protocol,
wherein the communication circuit includes a switching circuit configured to connect the third antenna to the first communication processor or the second communication processor, and
wherein the first communication protocol uses an ultra-wideband signal.

9. A method of determining a position of an external electronic device by a portable electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving, from the external electronic device, a first signal including first data using a first antenna and a second antenna connected to a communication circuit of the portable electronic device;
switching the connection of the communication circuit from the first antenna to a third antenna;
receiving, from the external electronic device, a second signal including second data using the third antenna; and
determining a position of the external electronic device based on a phase difference of the first signal, time information of the first data, and time information of the second data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are located within a first distance of each other, and
wherein the third antenna is spaced apart from the first antenna or the second antenna by a second distance, and
wherein the second distance is longer than the first distance.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna is not located on a same straight line, and
wherein the second distance is based on a resolution of positioning using the first signal.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the position of the external electronic device comprises:
identifying a plurality of candidate directions of the external electronic device based on the phase difference of the first signal;
identifying a third distance between the portable electronic device and the external electronic device based on the time information of the first data;
identifying a fourth distance between the third antenna and the external electronic device based on the time information of the second data; and
determining the position of the external electronic device based on the candidate directions, the third distance, and the fourth distance.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein receiving the first signal comprises:
transmitting a third signal to the external electronic device using the first antenna; and
receiving, from the external electronic device, the first signal including the first data, in response to the third signal, and
wherein receiving the second signal comprises:
transmitting a fourth signal to the external electronic device using the third antenna; and
receiving, from the external electronic device, the second signal including the second data, in response to the fourth signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the portable electronic device includes a first communication processor configured to provide communication based on a first communication protocol and a second communication processor configured to provide communication based on a second communication protocol, and
wherein transmitting the fourth signal comprises disconnecting the first antenna from the first communication processor and connecting the third antenna to the first communication processor.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first communication protocol uses an ultra-wideband signal, and
wherein the second communication protocol is Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

16. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a communication circuit electrically connected to a first antenna and electrically connected to a second antenna or a third antenna;
a processor operatively connected with the communication circuit and including a first communication processor configured to provide communication based on a first communication protocol and a second communication processor configured to provide communication based on a second communication protocol; and
a memory operatively connected with the processor,
wherein the memory stores

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Sehwan
• Hong Sukgi
• Kim Hyunchul
• Yang Yi
• Lim Sungjun
• Park Jungsik
• Hong Hyunju

Classifications

• G01S13/765 Primary

  with exchange of information between interrogator and responder · CPC title

• H01Q21/30

  Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system · CPC title

• G01S5/06 Primary

  Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements (G01S5/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title