Apple Inc.

Mikheil Tsiklauri

Jouya Jadidian

Vaneet Pathak

Sujeet Milind Patole

Lei Wang

Kumar Gaurav Chhokra

Harsha Shirahatti

Chunshu Li

Shun Liu

An electronic device may utilize various methods or systems to determine whether the electronic device is indoors or outdoors. The electronic device transmits wireless signals (e.g., radio detection and ranging (RADAR) signals). The electronic device receives reflections of the wireless signals. Using these received reflections of the wireless signals, the electronic device determines whether a power amplitude of the reflections is greater than or equal to a threshold value. In response to a determination that the power amplitude is not greater than or equal to the threshold value, the electronic device operates in an outdoor mode or an indoor mode.

Indoor/outdoor detection using wireless signals

An electronic device that selectively performs a predefined action is described. The predefined action can be any action performed by the electronic device, such as changing the power state of the electronic device or a component, change the state of a display, initiating a process, ending a process, etc. During operation, the electronic device may transmit a wireless signal. Then, the electronic device may receive a wireless-return signal associated with an object, which can indicate a time-of-flight of the wireless signal between the electronic device and the object. Moreover, the electronic device may determine a range between the electronic device and the object based at least in part on the wireless-return signal. When the range between the electronic device and the object is less than a threshold value, the electronic device may determine: whether the range between the electronic device and the object is varying and/or whether to perform the predefined action.

Time-of-flight determination of user intent

An electronic device includes M separate radar transmitters and N separate radar receivers co-located in the electronic device, where the M radar transmitters and the N radar receivers are arranged in a circular architecture providing 360&#xb0; coverage in a horizontal plane. Moreover, the N radar receivers are synchronized, e.g., using a clock signal. During operation, subsets of the M radar transmitters sequentially transmit radar signals and, when a given subset of the M radar transmitters is transmitting, at least a subset of the N radar receivers performs radar measurements. Furthermore, at least the subset of the N radar receivers can perform the radar measurements using circular beamforming. Based at least in part on the radar measurements, the electronic device determines a location of an object in an environment around the electronic device, where the location includes a range and an angular position.

Electronic device with circular radar-antenna array

An electronic device that performs radar measurements is described. This electronic device includes independent, co-located radar transceivers, and the independent radar transceivers are not synchronized with each other. Moreover, the radar transceivers may have different fields of view that partially overlap. During operation, the radar transceivers transmit radar signals and perform the radar measurements. Then, based at least in part on the radar measurements, the electronic device determines a location of an object in an environment around the electronic device. For example, the location may include an angular position that is determined from the amplitudes of the radar measurements performed using at least a subset of the radar transceivers. Furthermore, the object may be an individual, and the electronic device may identify the individual based at least in part on the radar measurements. Note that the radar measurements performed by a given radar transceiver do not provide angular information.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Mikheil Tsiklauri