Backscatter-based positioning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12487311-B2
Application number	US-202218060429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2022
Priority date	Nov 30, 2022
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and devices for wireless communication that support backscatter-based positioning. In a first aspect, a method of wireless communication includes transmitting a configuration signal that indicates a tag address of a tag device and a modulation scheme for generation of a backscatter signal. The method also includes transmitting a positioning reference signal (PRS) after transmission of the configuration signal. The method further includes receiving, from the tag device, a backscatter signal based on the modulation scheme and the PRS. Other aspects and features are also claimed and described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of wireless communication performed by a network entity, the method comprising:
transmitting a configuration signal that indicates a tag address of a tag device and a modulation scheme for generation of a backscatter signal; transmitting a positioning reference signal (PRS) after transmission of the configuration signal; receiving, from the tag device, a backscatter signal based on the modulation scheme and the PRS; correlating the backscatter signal and the PRS; and determining a round trip time (RTT) based on correlating the backscatter signal and the PRS.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the tag address indicates a tag identifier of the tag device, a group identifier associated with the tag device, or a combination thereof.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the modulation scheme indicates a phase scrambling parameter, an on/off pattern, or a combination thereof; the on/off pattern indicates one or more transitions of the tag device from a first state to a second state or from the second state to the first state, the first state corresponds to backscatter transmission state, and the second state corresponds to an energy harvesting state.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a period of the PRS, and wherein:
the PRS includes timing information, a wideband sequence, is periodic, or a combination thereof; and
the wideband sequence includes a code-division multiple access-pseudo random (CDMA-PN) sequence.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving tag capability information corresponding to the tag device; and determining a tag processing delay period based on the tag capability, and wherein transmitting the PRS after the transmission of the configuration signal includes transmitting the PRS after conclusion of the tag processing delay period.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modulation scheme includes:
frequency shifting based on a frequency shift parameter, phase scrambling based on a phase scrambling parameter, modulation data, or a combination thereof.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the network entity is configured to operate in a full duplex mode, and the network entity and the tag device are configured to operate asynchronously of one another.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring a channel for the backscatter signal after transmitting the PRS, the channel monitored according to a monitoring window having a duration less than a duration of the PRS; identifying interference in the channel, wherein the interference includes self-interference, environmental interference, or a combination thereof; and updating the modulation scheme based on the interference to counteract the interference.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring, during a detection time window, for the backscatter signal, and wherein a duration of the time window is greater than a period of the PRS, and wherein the detection time window is configured based on a period of the PRS.

10 . A network entity comprising:
at least one processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to:
transmit a configuration signal that indicates a tag address of a tag device and a modulation scheme for generation of a backscatter signal;
transmit a positioning reference signal (PRS) after transmission of the configuration signal;
receive, from the tag device, a backscatter signal based on the modulation scheme and the PRS;
correlate the backscatter signal and the PRS; and
determine a round trip time (RTT) based on correlating the backscatter signal and the PRS.

11 . The network entity of claim 10 , wherein:
the tag address indicates a tag identifier of the tag device, a group identifier associated with the tag device, or a combination thereof.

12 . The network entity of claim 10 , wherein:
the modulation scheme indicates a phase scrambling parameter, an on/off pattern, or a combination thereof; the on/off pattern indicates one or more transitions of the tag device from a first state to a second state or from the second state to the first state, the first state corresponds to backscatter transmission state, and the second state corresponds to an energy harvesting state.

13 . The network entity of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
select a period of the PRS, and wherein:
the PRS includes timing information, a wideband sequence, is periodic, or a combination thereof; and
the wideband sequence includes a code-division multiple access-pseudo random (CDMA-PN) sequence.

14 . The network entity of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive tag capability information corresponding to the tag device; and determine a tag processing delay period based on the tag capability, and wherein the PRS is transmitted after the transmission of the configuration signal includes transmitting the PRS after conclusion of the tag processing delay period.

15 . The network entity of claim 10 , wherein the modulation scheme includes:
frequency shifting based on a frequency shift parameter, phase scrambling based on a phase scrambling parameter, modulation data, or a combination thereof.

16 . The network entity of claim 10 , wherein:
the network entity is configured to operate in a full duplex mode, and the network entity and the tag device are configured to operate asynchronously of one another.

17 . The network entity of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
monitor a channel for the backscatter signal after transmitting the PRS; identify interference in the channel, wherein the interference includes self-interference, environmental interference, or a combination thereof; and update the modulation scheme based on the interference to counteract the interference.

18 . The network entity of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
monitor, during a detection time window, for the backscatter signal, and wherein a duration of the time window is greater than a period of the PRS, and wherein the detection time window is configured based on a period of the PRS.

19 . A method of wireless communication performed by a tag device, the method comprising:
receiving a configuration signal that indicates a tag address of the tag device and a modulation scheme for generation of a backscatter signal; configuring one or more components of the tag device based on the modulation scheme, wherein configuring the one or more components occurs during a tag processing delay period; receiving a positioning reference signal (PRS) after receipt of the configuration signal; and transmitting a backscatter signal based on the modulation scheme and the PRS, wherein transmitting the backscatter signal occurs after conclusion of the tag processing delay period.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the configuration signal includes an energy signal; and energy generated based on the energy signal is useable for powering one or more components of the tag device.

21 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
determining that the tag address included in the configuration signal indicates the tag device; and generating the backscatter signal based on the modulation scheme in response to a determination that the tag address indicates

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Wang Xiaojie
• Sun Jing
• Zhang Xiaoxia
• Li Junyi

Classifications

• H04W24/08

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic · CPC title

• H04L5/0051

  of dedicated pilots, i.e. pilots destined for a single user or terminal · CPC title

• G01S7/0233

  Avoidance by phase multiplex · CPC title

• G01S7/0234

  Avoidance by code multiplex · CPC title

• G01S7/0232

  Avoidance by frequency multiplex · CPC title