Devices and techniques for improving reception or compensating for attenuation of GNSS signals during water immersion activities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12259479-B2
Application number	US-202318471281-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2023
Priority date	Mar 15, 2021
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A wearable device that can receive a plurality of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) timing signals using an antenna, where the antenna is located in an exterior portion of the wearable device such that the antenna receives GNSS signals at the external portion of the wearable device, without the GNSS signals first passing through an air gap within a housing of the wearable device. The wearable device is configured to determine a geographic location of the wearable device based at least in part on the GNSS signals. The wearable device is configurable to perform underwater dead-reckoning procedures, measuring energy levels during dwell periods, measuring efficiency of swim strokes, sharing wearable device information with other electronic devices, calibrating the wearable device, or a combination thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining positioning information during water immersion activities, the method comprising:
receiving a plurality of wireless signals using an antenna associated with a first wearable device, the plurality of wireless signals comprising Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, Wide Area Network (WAN) signals, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) signals, or a combination thereof;
obtaining, with the first wearable device, second GNSS signals received using an antenna of a second wearable device that is at least periodically out of water, having a better reception of GNSS signals than the first wearable device, or both;
selecting one or more wireless signals from the received plurality of wireless signals based on an orientation of the first wearable device, a pressure detected by the first wearable device, or a combination thereof; and
determining a geographic location of the first wearable device using the selected one or more wireless signals and the second GNSS signals.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, based on the detected pressure, determining that the first wearable device is out of water;
wherein the selecting of the one or more wireless signals comprises selecting GNSS signals responsive to the determining that the first wearable device is out of water.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, based on the detected pressure, determining that the first wearable device is in water;
wherein the selecting of the one or more wireless signals comprises selecting WAN signals or WLAN signals responsive to the determining that the first wearable device is in water.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the first wearable device is determined based on one or more measurements by an inertial measurement unit of the first wearable device, the pressure is determined based on one or more measurements by a pressure sensor of the first wearable device, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, based on the detected pressure, determining a submersion status indicative that the first wearable device is in water, and a depth of the first wearable device in the water.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising, based on the geographic location of the first wearable device, the depth of the first wearable device in the water, or both, providing to a user via an augmented reality device lane information in the water, object information associated with one or more objects in the water, distance information with respect to the one or more objects.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is disposed outside a housing of the first wearable device, and configured to receive the GNSS signals without the GNSS signals first passing through an air gap within a housing of the first wearable device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending the geographic location of the first wearable device to an external device.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a water immersion activity;
obtaining a plurality of geographic locations and associated times; and
determining one or more characteristics of the water immersion activity based at least in part on the plurality of geographic locations and the associated times.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, determining, based on tracking of the geographic location of the wearable device, one or more characteristics of a user of the wearable device, wherein the user is at least partially in water.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first wearable device comprises a wireless-enabled user device configured to be removably attached to a first portion of a user, and the second wearable device comprises a wireless-enabled user device configured to be removably attached to a second portion of the user.

12. A wearable device comprising:
a body;
a processing circuit housed in the body;
an antenna electrically coupled to the processing circuit, the antenna located at an exterior portion of the body and configured to receive a first plurality of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, a Wide Area Network (WAN) signal, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) signal, or a combination thereof; and
an inertial measurement unit configured to measure an orientation of the wearable device, a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure, or both;
wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
obtain a second plurality of GNSS signals received using an antenna of a second wearable device that is at least periodically out of water, having a better reception of GNSS signals than the wearable device, or both; and
determine a geographic location of the wearable device using one or more wireless signals and the second plurality of GNSS signals, wherein the one or more wireless signals are selected based on the orientation, the pressure, or both, from the received first plurality of GNSS signals, the WAN signal, the WLAN signal, or the combination thereof.

13. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to, based on the measured pressure, determine that the wearable device is out of water;
wherein the selection of the one or more wireless signals comprises selection of GNSS signals responsive to the determining that the wearable device is out of water.

14. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to, based on the measured pressure, determine that the wearable device is in water;
wherein the selection of the one or more wireless signals comprises selection of WAN signals or WLAN signals responsive to the determining that the wearable device is in water.

15. The wearable device of claim 12 , further comprising a switch configured to select, based on the orientation, the pressure, or both the orientation and the pressure of the wearable device, the first plurality of GNSS signals, the WAN signal, the WLAN signal, or a combination of the WAN signal and the WLAN signal to feed to the processing circuit.

16. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the antenna includes a ground plane configured to be in physical contact with a skin of a user of the wearable device.

17. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
access information regarding a plurality of geographic points that defines a geographic zone;
determine, based on the plurality of geographic points, that the geographic location is outside the geographic zone; and
provide, in response to determining that the wearable device is outside the geographic zone, feedback to a user of the wearable device.

18. The wearable device of claim 17 , wherein the feedback comprises haptic feedback, audio feedback, visible feedback, or a combination thereof.

19. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to send the geographic location of the wearable device to an external device.

20. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
track the geographic location of the wearable device; and
determine, based on tracking the geographic location of the wearable device, one or more characteristics of a user of the wearable device, wherein the user is at least partially in water.

21. The wearable device of claim 12 , wherein the body of the wearable device is configured to be removably attached to swim goggles, a wetsuit, a head band, or a neck of a user.

22. The

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Gum Arnold Jason
• Biacs Zoltan
• Pon Rayman
• Tuck David
• Zheng Bo
• Wong Jeffrey

Classifications

• H01Q9/0414

  in a stacked or folded configuration · CPC title

• H01Q1/364

  using a particular conducting material, e.g. superconductor · CPC title

• G01S19/48

  by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system · CPC title

• G01S19/19 Primary

  Sporting applications · CPC title

• H01Q7/00

  Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop · CPC title