Nxp B.v.

Michael Schober

Ghiath Al-kadi

Ulrich Andreas Muehlmann

Christian Eisendle

Stefan Lemsitzer

Srivathsa Masthi Parthasarathi

Dominik Doedlinger

Pablo Corbalán Pelegrín

Derek Park

Brima Babatunde Ibrahim

Frank Leong

Stefan Tertinek

Hugues Jean Marie De Perthuis

Manuel Lafer

Sunil Dilipkumar Jogi

David Veit

Shengyang Xu

Robert Spreitzer

Nidhin Vadakkan

Guillaume Lepoittevin

Boyoung Kim

Purnank Harjivanbhai Ghumalia

A communication device and a corresponding device operating method include an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit enabling UWB communication with at least one external communication device, and a processing unit performing a ranging session between the communication device and the external communication device. The ranging session includes one or more distance measurements based on messages exchanged between the communication device and the external communication device. The messages are exchanged through the UWB communication unit. The device also includes a prioritization unit configured to prioritize the ranging session using a synchronization indicator associated with the ranging session.

Communication device and operating method thereof

There is described a ultra-wide band (UWB) communication device, comprising: Further, a UWB communication system and a method of determining a distance are described.

Ultra-wide band distance determination with an angle-of-arrival based disturbance compensation

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to communicating data for authentication and location determination, such as for authenticating a key FOB and locating the key FOB within a defined distance. As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, a plurality of headerless packets, respectively including scrambled timestamp sequence (STS) packets but not including encoding and/or synchronization headers, are communicated between respective communication circuits. A time of flight (TOF) value indicative of time elapsed between transmission and reception of the plurality of headerless packets is assessed based on the STS packets. A distance between the communication circuits is determined based on the assessed time of flight.

Distance assessment with headerless packets

Disclosed are methods and devices for, UWB, ranging of a target using a plurality of antenna arrays. The method comprises: determining a first RSSI, from a first antenna of a first antenna arrays, and a second RSSI from a second antenna of a second antenna arrays; in response to the first RSSI being larger than the second RSSI, selecting the first antenna array, and selecting the second antenna array otherwise; using the selected antenna array, performing a UWB ranging measurement including measuring an angle of arrival of the signal from the target; including, if the angle of arrival of the signal from the target is out of range: selecting a different one of the plurality of antennae arrays, as a presently-selected antenna array; and, using that antenna array, performing a UWB ranging measurement including measuring an angle of arrival of the signal from the target.

Devices and methods for selecting antennae for UWB ranging

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: a communication unit configured to execute a time-of-flight ranging session with an external communication counterpart; a clock offset measurement unit configured to measure a frequency offset of a device clock, wherein said device clock is configured to be used by the communication unit when said ranging session is executed; a processing unit configured to determine whether the measured frequency offset of the device clock has a predefined correlation with a frequency offset of a counterpart clock, wherein said counterpart clock is configured to be used by the external communication counterpart when said ranging session is executed. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a communication device is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding computer program is provided.

Communication device and method of operating the same

There is described a method of determining a time of arrival of a signal at a UWB ranging device comprising a first antenna, the signal being transmitted by another UWB ranging device, the method comprising: determining a first channel impulse response based on at least a part of the signal received at the first antenna; determining a first time value as an earliest point in time at which the amplitude of the first channel impulse response exhibits a peak value; setting a candidate time value to the first time value; determining a first upper value as the amplitude of the first channel impulse response at a time value corresponding to the candidate time value plus a predetermined upper time value; determining a second upper value as the peak value plus a predetermined upper amplitude value; determining a first lower value as the amplitude of the first channel impulse response at a time value corresponding to the candidate time value minus a predetermined lower time value; determining a second lower value as the peak value minus a predetermined lower amplitude value; determining, as a first condition, whether the first upper value is larger than the second upper value; determining, as a second condition, whether the first lower value is smaller than the second lower value; and if at least one of the first condition and the second condition is not fulfilled, setting the time of arrival to the candidate time value. Furthermore, a UWB ranging device and a UWB system are described.

UWB ranging method, device, and system

A sensor node is provided having a radio frequency (RF) circuit and a sensor interface circuit. The RF circuit wirelessly harvests energy from an external device such as a smart phone to produce a voltage at an output to charge a storage capacitor. The sensor interface circuit is configured to communicate with a sensor. In response to a request from the external device, the sensor node provides a voltage level of the capacitive element to the external device. The external device uses the voltage level to determine capabilities of the sensor node and to control sensing functions of the sensor node. In another embodiment, a method is provided to operate the sensor node.

Sensor node with wireless energy harvesting and method for operating the sensor node

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided, comprising: a user device to be monitored for unauthorized displacement, an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit configured to set up a UWB communication channel with an external localization device and to perform at least one localization operation through said UWB communication channel, and a processing unit configured to detect said unauthorized displacement of the user device by analyzing an output of said localization operation. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a localization device is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit configured to set up a UWB communication channel with an external system and to perform at least one localization operation through said UWB communication channel, and a processing unit configured to detect an unauthorized displacement of a user device comprised in said external system by analyzing an output of said localization operation. In accordance with further aspects of the present disclosure, corresponding methods are conceived and corresponding computer programs are provided.

System, device and methods for protecting a user device

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a communication node is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication unit configured to enable UWB communication with a plurality of external communication nodes; a processing unit configured to perform ranging sessions between the communication node and said external communication nodes, wherein said ranging sessions comprise one or more distance measurements based on messages exchanged through the UWB communication unit between the communication node and said external communication nodes; and a prioritization unit configured to prioritize said ranging sessions in dependence on at least one previously measured distance between the communication node and the respective external communication nodes. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operating a communication node is provided. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided, comprising executable instructions for carrying out said method.

Communication node and corresponding operating method

In accordance with the first aspect of the present disclosure, an ultra-wideband communication node is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband communication unit configured to transmit one or more ultra-wideband frames to an external device; a processing unit configured to determine scrambled timestamp sequences for said ultra-wideband frames; wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine designated time slots, within which said scrambled timestamp sequences are to be received by said external device.

UWB communication node and system for facilitating a secure localization of UWB communication nodes

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method is conceived for determining the position of at least one node in a communication network, wherein the communication network comprises a localization system that includes a processing unit, a primary anchor and at least one secondary anchor, the method comprising: the primary anchor transmits a poll message to the node and to the secondary anchor; the primary anchor receives a response message from the node; the secondary anchor receives said poll message from the primary anchor and said response message from the node; the processing unit calculates the position of the node using position information and timing information, wherein said position information is position information of the primary anchor and of the secondary anchor, and wherein said timing information is timing information of the poll message transmission by the primary anchor, of the poll message reception by the node and the secondary anchor, of the response message transmission by the node, and of the response message reception by the primary anchor and the secondary anchor.

Method and system for determining the position of at least one node in a communication network

A method is provided for estimating a signal's angle of arrival (AOA) in a communications system. Starting values for each of a horizontal AOA and a vertical AOA are estimated. The estimated vertical AOA starting value is used to select a horizontal PDOA trace of horizontal PDOA calibration data. The selected horizontal PDOA trace is interpolated to determine a best horizontal AOA estimate for a current iteration. The estimated horizontal AOA starting value is used to select a vertical PDOA trace of vertical PDOA calibration data. The selected vertical PDOA trace is interpolated to determine a best vertical AOA estimate for the current iteration. After each iteration, determining if a maximum number of iterations has been reached or if the best horizontal or vertical AOA estimate has not changed by a predetermined amount. When one of these is true, the best horizontal and vertical AOA estimates are used.

Method for angle of arrival estimation in an impulse-radio ultra-wideband communications system

A method of estimating a clock frequency offset in a mobile device relative to a clock frequency of a controller within a UWB network comprises (a) determining, for each of a plurality of anchors, an anchor clock frequency offset relative to the controller clock frequency, (b) broadcasting an anchor data packet from each anchor, the anchor data packet including the respective anchor clock frequency offset, (c) receiving at least one anchor data packet at the mobile device, (d) estimating a mobile device clock frequency offset relative to the anchor clock frequency of the anchor from which the at least one anchor data packet was received, and (e) estimating the clock frequency offset in the mobile device based on the estimated mobile device clock frequency offset and the anchor clock frequency offset included in the at least one received anchor data packet. Furthermore, a TDoA-based localization method and a TDoA-based localization system are described.

Mobile device frequency offset determination and TDoA localization

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a localization device is provided, comprising: an ultra-wideband, UWB, communication unit configured to transmit a localization signal to an external device and to receive a response signal from the external device; an angle of arrival measurement unit configured to measure an angle at which the response signal is received; an orientation sensor configured to sense an orientation of the localization device; and a processing unit configured to determine if an angle at which the localization signal is received by the external device, an orientation of the external device, said orientation of the localization device, and said angle at which the response signal is received meet a predefined relationship. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a localization device is conceived.

Localization device and method of operating a localization device

In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure, a control system is provided for controlling electronic devices, the control system comprising: an ultra-wideband communication unit configured to receive ultra-wideband signals from the electronic devices, and a processing unit configured to select a specific electronic device among said electronic devices for further communication, wherein the processing unit is configured to select said specific electronic device using an angle of arrival of the ultra-wideband signals received from the electronic devices. In accordance with a second aspect of the present disclosure, a corresponding control method for controlling electronic devices is conceived. In accordance with a third aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a control system for controlling electronic devices, cause said control system to carry out or control a method of the kind set forth.

Growing community of inventors

Graz, Austria

Michael Schober