Controller for communication and ranging device

Abstract

A controller for a communication and ranging device, wherein the device is configured to transmit a data signal and a ranging signal, wherein the controller is configured to: determine a scheduled transmission event of the data signal; determine a scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal; determine whether the scheduled transmission events will occur within a predetermined time window of each other; if it is determined that the scheduled transmission events will occur within a predetermined time window of each other, determine a priority signal and a secondary signal, wherein the priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the ranging signal; and provide signaling configured to prevent the scheduled transmission event of the secondary signal from being transmitted, such that only the scheduled transmission event of the priority signal is transmitted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a controller for a communication and ranging device, the communication and ranging device itself, a method for controlling the communication and ranging device, and a computer-readable medium including instructions that cause a processor to perform the method for controlling the communication and ranging device. Specifically, this disclosure relates to a controller, apparatus, method, and computer-readable medium for reducing the likelihood of packet loss or corruption and for improving the battery life of devices using both communication and ranging signaling simultaneously. Background Technology

[0002] Applications requiring both general management data and location information, such as vehicle access, IoT, and general access, may require both a radio-based data link and a second radio link for establishing a connection between a communication and ranging device (e.g., a key, remote card (fob), or tag) and a remote device (e.g., a car, room, or door). When a location protocol is initiated, both signal links can be activated in parallel: one signal link is configured to provide data communication between the two devices; and the other signal link is configured to determine the range between the communication and ranging device and the remote device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a controller for a communication and ranging device is provided, wherein the communication and ranging device is configured to transmit a data signal from a first antenna and a ranging signal from a second antenna, wherein the controller is configured to:

[0004] Determine the scheduled transmission event of the data signal;

[0005] Determine the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal;

[0006] Determine whether the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal, or determine whether the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the data signal.

[0007] If it is determined that the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal, or if it is determined that the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the data signal, then a priority signal and a secondary signal are determined, wherein the priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal, and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the ranging signal; and

[0008] Provide signaling configured to prevent the scheduled transmission event of the secondary signal from being transmitted, such that only the scheduled transmission event of the priority signal is transmitted.

[0009] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to determine the priority signal and the secondary signal based on one or more of the following:

[0010] - The distance between the communication and ranging equipment and the remote device;

[0011] -The movement of the communication and ranging devices;

[0012] - The signal strength of one or both of the data signal and the ranging signal;

[0013] - Remaining power of the power source configured to provide power to the communication and ranging equipment;

[0014] - Send event history logs; and

[0015] - User-initiated measurement events.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to:

[0017] Calculate the priority score for each of the data signal and the ranging signal; and

[0018] The signal with the highest priority score is designated as the priority signal.

[0019] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to set the priority score of the data signal based on the distance between the communication and ranging device and the remote device.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to set the priority score of the ranging signal based on the detection of the communication and ranging devices.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to:

[0022] Receive signaling from an accelerometer forming part of the communication and ranging device, wherein the signaling indicates movement of the communication and ranging device; and

[0023] The priority signal and the secondary signal are determined based on the signaling from the accelerometer.

[0024] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to perform one or both of the following:

[0025] If the data signal strength is lower than the data signal strength threshold, then the priority score of the data signal is reduced; and

[0026] If the ranging signal strength is lower than the ranging signal strength threshold, the priority score of the ranging signal is reduced.

[0027] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to increase the priority score of the ranging signal in response to receiving a signaling indication of a measurement event.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to reduce the priority score of the ranging signal in response to receiving a signal indicating that the power supply is below a predetermined level.

[0029] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to perform one or both of the following:

[0030] If, according to the transmission event history log, no minimum number of data signal transmission events have occurred within a first predetermined prior time period, then the priority score of the data signal is increased; and

[0031] If, according to the transmission event history log, no minimum number of ranging signal transmission events have occurred in the second predetermined previous time period, then the priority score of the ranging signal is increased.

[0032] In one or more embodiments, the controller may be configured to designate one of the data signal and the ranging signal as the priority signal based on one or more of the following:

[0033] The distance between the communication and ranging equipment and the remote device is greater than the data over-control distance;

[0034] The distance between the communication and ranging equipment and the remote device is less than the ranging over-control distance;

[0035] The moving speed of the communication and ranging equipment is greater than the overtaking speed;

[0036] The signal strength of the data signal is lower than the data signal strength control threshold or the signal strength of the ranging strength is lower than the ranging signal strength control threshold.

[0037] According to the transmission event history log, the number of data signal transmission events in the first predetermined previous time period is lower than the number of data signal transmission events exceeding control, or the number of ranging signal transmission events in the second predetermined time period is lower than the number of ranging signal transmission events exceeding control.

[0038] Measuring events.

[0039] In one or more embodiments, the data signal may be a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal, and the ranging signal may be an Ultra Wideband (UWB) signal.

[0040] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a communication and ranging device is provided, the communication and ranging device comprising:

[0041] The first antenna is configured to transmit data signals;

[0042] The second antenna is configured to transmit ranging signals; and

[0043] The controller described in the first aspect.

[0044] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a method for controlling a communication and ranging device is provided, wherein the communication and ranging device is configured to transmit a data signal from a first antenna and a ranging signal from a second antenna, the method comprising:

[0045] Determine the scheduled transmission event of the data signal;

[0046] Determine the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal;

[0047] Determine whether the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal;

[0048] If it is determined that the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal, the method further includes determining a priority signal and a secondary signal, wherein the priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal, and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the ranging signal; and

[0049] Provide signaling configured to prevent the scheduled transmission event of the secondary signal from being transmitted, such that only the scheduled transmission event of the priority signal is transmitted.

[0050] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable medium including instructions that cause a processor to perform the method of the third aspect is provided.

[0051] While this disclosure allows for various modifications and alternatives, the features of this disclosure have been illustrated by way of example in the figures and will be described in detail. However, it should be understood that other embodiments besides the specific embodiments described are also possible. All modifications, equivalents, and alternative embodiments falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims are also covered.

[0052] The foregoing discussion is not intended to represent every exemplary embodiment or every implementation within the scope of the present or future claims. The following description of the accompanying drawings and detailed description further illustrate various exemplary embodiments. A more comprehensive understanding of these exemplary embodiments can be achieved by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0053] One or more embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0054] Figure 1 Example embodiments of communication and ranging devices including the controller of this disclosure are shown;

[0055] Figure 2 An example method for controlling a communication and ranging device according to one embodiment is shown; and

[0056] Figure 3 A computer-readable medium is shown that includes instructions that cause a processor to perform methods for controlling communication and ranging devices. Detailed Implementation

[0057] Integrating communication and ranging capabilities into small-form-factor devices, such as key fobs, tags, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, or smartwatches, presents challenges. The coexistence of multiple active radios can make meeting all system requirements challenging, such as end-to-end (E2E) latency related to user experience and power management in battery-powered systems. Significant packet drop can occur in E2E latency due to radio interference or the bill of materials (BOM) when specific filters are required on the PCB.

[0058] When communication and ranging devices attempt to simultaneously (or within each other's predetermined time windows) transmit both data signals for communication and ranging signals for ranging, one or both signals may be corrupted, resulting in packet loss due to signal interference. It should be understood that "packet" in this document can refer to data packets or packets used for individual ranging operations. It may be necessary to reduce the number of packets lost due to such signal interference. If both data and ranging signals are transmitted within each other's predetermined time windows, the peak current drawn from the power supply of the communication and ranging devices will increase. It may also be necessary to limit the peak current consumption of the devices.

[0059] A more stable communication and ranging link between the communication and ranging equipment and the remote device can provide longer connection times and longer ranging intervals, thereby helping to reduce the risk of package corruption, reduce package corruption, and improve battery life.

[0060] Rather than attempting to arrange the signals to be transmitted in a non-overlapping manner, this disclosure proposes that, in cases where two signals will be transmitted within each other's predetermined time windows, one signal should be given transmission priority while the other signal is suppressed.

[0061] Figure 1 An example embodiment of a communication and ranging device 100 is shown. The communication and ranging device 100 may be a car's remote key, a tag, or an IoT device that requires both data and ranging capabilities.

[0062] The communication and ranging device 100 may include a first antenna 101 configured to transmit data signals and a second antenna 102 configured to transmit ranging signals. The first antenna 101 and the second antenna 102 may form portions of corresponding first and second transmitters or transceivers, which in turn may form portions of corresponding data signal controller 103 and ranging controller 104. The first antenna 101 and the second antenna 102 may be configured to transmit data signals and ranging signals, respectively, by coupling to corresponding radio frequency sources (not shown) configured to generate data and ranging signals. The corresponding radio frequency sources may be coupled to a power source 105, such as a battery, accumulator, or external power supply.

[0063] It should be understood that the communication and ranging device 100 may include other electronics to provide signal generation, control and transmission; however, these will not be explained in detail here.

[0064] The data signal output by the first antenna 101 may include one or more data packets. These data packets may include information to be sent to a remote device 106—for example, to a car, door, or IoT device. The data may be used to maintain a connection between the remote device 106 and the communication and ranging device 100, or the data may be used to send specific status information or other data. Alternatively, the data may provide, for example, authentication information, ranging-specific parameters, or capabilities. The data signal may be provided by any suitable means, such as via Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), WiFi, Zigbee, 6LoWPAN, or another type of signal.

[0065] The ranging signal output by the second antenna 102 may include one or more packets. Each packet may include signaling that can be used to determine the distance between the remote device 106 and the communication and ranging device 100. The ranging signal may include a single packet or multiple packets sent to the remote device 106. In other examples, the ranging signal may include multiple ranging rounds, wherein each ranging round includes sending one or more packets to multiple anchor points on the remote device 106. This provides improved positioning associated with the remote device 106 compared to using a single ranging round. The ranging signal may be a Wi-Fi signal, an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal, or a Bluetooth Low Energy High Precision Distance Measurement (BLE-HADM) signal.

[0066] The communication and ranging device 100 also includes a controller 107, which may also be referred to as a master controller. The controller 107 is configured to determine scheduled transmission events for data signals and scheduled transmission events for ranging signals. Generally, a transmission event can be a scheduled transmission event (i.e., a transmission event that will occur at some point in the future) or a historical transmission event (i.e., a transmission event that has occurred in the past, the associated data of which can be stored in a history log). A transmission event may include a transmission start time, i.e., the time at which the transmission event will (or has) begun the process of transmitting data or ranging signals. Furthermore, a transmission event may include a transmission duration, i.e., the amount of time between the start and end times of the transmission event. A transmission event may also include a transmission end time, i.e., the time at which the transmission event will (or has) cease to occur. The transmission start and end times may be the times at which the respective antenna begins (or has) transmitting data or ranging signals. In other embodiments, the transmission start and end times may be before and after the start or cessation of data and ranging signal transmission, respectively. For example, a transmission event may be defined to begin earlier than the time the antenna begins transmitting data or ranging signals to provide time to accumulate sufficient current for transmission. Similarly, a transmission event can be defined as ending later than the time after the antenna stops transmitting data or ranging signals.

[0067] A scheduled transmission event may correspond to the next data or ranging transmission event. Alternatively or additionally, a scheduled transmission event may refer to different future scheduled transmission events. A scheduled transmission event may be determined by controller 107 by referring to a lookup table of scheduled transmission events. Alternatively, a scheduled transmission event may be determined by calculating future transmission events based on past transmission events and predetermined waiting times between transmission events. In yet another example, controller 107 may be configured to receive signaling from data signal controller 103 indicating one or more future scheduled transmission events for data signals (which may include the next event). Similarly, controller 107 may be configured to receive signaling from ranging signal controller 104 indicating one or more future scheduled transmission events for ranging signals. Any other suitable method may be used to determine each scheduled transmission event.

[0068] The controller 107 is also configured to determine whether a scheduled transmission event for the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of a scheduled transmission event for the ranging signal. If it is determined that the scheduled transmission event for the data signal will occur within the predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event for the ranging event, the controller 107 is configured to determine a priority signal and a secondary signal. The priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal, and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the ranging signal. Then, transmission of the secondary signal is blocked, so that only the priority signal is transmitted. In this way, data loss can be completely reduced or avoided, and maximum current usage can also be reduced.

[0069] By comparing the scheduled start and end times of the data and ranging signal transmission events, controller 107 can determine whether the scheduled data signal transmission event will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled ranging signal transmission event. Alternatively, the controller can determine whether the scheduled data signal transmission event will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled ranging signal transmission event by comparing the delays up to the scheduled start and end times of each scheduled data and ranging signal transmission event. It should be understood that using the delay up to the start time of the scheduled transmission event and the duration of the scheduled transmission event will provide the same determination. Simultaneous transmission of the data and ranging signals can be referred to as a data and ranging signal collision. If the predetermined time window is set to zero seconds, controller 107 will be configured to assign priority and secondary signals only when a direct and simultaneous collision of data and ranging signals is about to occur. Preventing such direct collisions of signals can reduce the number of packets lost due to interference between the data and ranging signals.

[0070] A predetermined time window can represent a buffer period, which can be a non-zero buffer period. That is, the predetermined time window can be a period greater than 0 seconds. This non-zero predetermined time window not only reduces the likelihood of packet loss due to data and ranging signal collisions, but also limits the high current consumption of the communication and ranging device 100 by reducing the probability of overlapping current consumption. For example, the communication and ranging device 100, and more specifically, the ranging signal controller 104, may need to store some current before the transmission of the ranging signal. Thus, the predetermined time window can be long enough to allow the ranging signal controller 104 to store current when preparing to transmit the ranging signal, without transmitting the data signal during such current storage period for the ranging signal. In some examples, the predetermined window can extend before and after the transmission event. For example, the controller can define a first time before the start time of the ranging signal transmission event and a second time after the end time of the ranging signal transmission event, wherein the time interval between the first time and the second time defines the predetermined time window. In other examples, the predetermined time window may be simply a window set before the transmission of the ranging signal, such that a signal collision is only determined if the data signal will be transmitted within the predetermined time window before or simultaneously with the ranging signal. By limiting the peak power consumption of the communication and ranging device 100, the device's battery life can be extended by 20% to 80%, depending on the battery. In embodiments where the transmission event is defined as the period during which the ranging antenna transmits the corresponding data or ranging signal, the predetermined time window may be, in particular, a non-zero predetermined time window.

[0071] It should be understood that although the transmission event of the reference data signal falls within the predetermined time window of the ranging signal as discussed above, this is equivalent to the same situation where the transmission event of the ranging signal falls within the predetermined time window of the data signal. In other words, the controller can instead determine whether the transmission event of the ranging signal occurs within the predetermined time window of the data signal.

[0072] If it is determined that the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the ranging event (i.e., if it is determined that there will be a conflict between the data signal transmission and the ranging signal transmission), then controller 107 is configured to determine a priority signal and a secondary signal. The priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal, and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the ranging signal. Several ways exist for setting the priority signal and the secondary signal, as described in more detail below, such that the scheduled transmission event of the priority signal is transmitted but the scheduled transmission event of the secondary signal is not transmitted. It should be understood that the following approaches do not represent every possible way to determine which signal should be designated as the priority signal and which signal should be designated as the secondary signal.

[0073] In one or more embodiments, controller 107 may be configured to calculate a priority score for the data signal and a priority score for the ranging signal based on one or more parameters. The signal with the highest priority score may be designated as the priority signal, while the signal with the lowest priority score may be designated as the secondary signal. It should be understood that, here referring to the highest priority score, it would be equivalent to alternatively calculate the priority score such that the signal with the lowest priority score is designated as the priority signal. Essentially, only the most desired signal will be prioritized based on a parameter or combination of parameters and will be designated as the priority signal, regardless of whether the scoring system is designed to give the most desired signal the highest or lowest score. The priority score can be calculated by any suitable method, such as by summing various scaling factors based on the importance of the parameters. It should be understood that several different approaches to determining the priority score may be apparent to those skilled in the art, and any such approach will be considered to include calculating the priority score. The following discussion will explore increasing the priority score of a signal based on certain conditions and decreasing the priority score based on other conditions. It should be understood that this wording is used to refer to examples in which higher priority scores are associated with signals designated as priority signals and lower priority scores are associated with signals designated as secondary signals.

[0074] In some examples, controller 107 may be configured to designate one of the data signal and the ranging signal as a priority signal based on the satisfaction of one or more overriding conditions. This may be the only way to determine the priority signal, i.e., priority is assigned only if one or more overriding conditions are met. In other examples, any other way of determining the priority signal, such as a priority score, may be overridden when one or more overriding conditions are met, such that designation is based solely on the satisfied overriding conditions. Overriding of priority scores can be achieved by configuring controller 107 to ignore priority scores when one or more overriding conditions are met. Alternatively, this can be implemented by weighting the priority scores of the data signal or ranging signal in a manner that favors that signal, so that other contribution factors based on other parameters do not affect which priority score is highest or lowest.

[0075] In one or more embodiments, controller 107 may be configured to determine priority and secondary signals based on the distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106. The distance may be known based on a previously completed ranging operation due to a previously transmitted ranging signal. Alternatively, the distance may be known based on the amount of movement and determination of the previous position of communication and ranging device 100 detected by a motion sensor such as accelerometer 108. That is, in some examples, controller 107 is capable of (a) determining the current distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 based on (i) the previous distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 and (ii) motion data associated with communication and ranging device 100 provided by motion sensors.

[0076] In some examples, the motion sensor may be unable to determine whether the communication and ranging device 100 has moved closer to or further away from the remote device 106; that is, the motion sensor may not have available directional information. In such embodiments, the controller 107 may be configured to (a) determine the distance to the previous position of the communication and ranging device 100 based on (i) the previous distance between the communication and ranging device 100 and the remote device and (ii) the motion data associated with the communication and ranging device 100 provided by the motion sensor. The controller 107 may be configured to determine priority and secondary signals based on the distance between the communication and ranging device 100 and its previous position. For example, if the distance to the previous position of the communication and ranging device 100 is greater than a motion threshold, the priority value of the ranging signal may be increased. In this way, if the communication and ranging device 100 has moved beyond the motion threshold, a new ranging signal transmission event may help reduce the uncertainty of the new position of the communication and ranging device 100. For similar reasons, controller 107 can be configured to increase the priority value of the ranging signal when the acceleration of the communication and ranging device 100 is higher than an acceleration threshold.

[0077] Controller 107 can be configured to set a priority score for data signals based on the distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106. That is, the static distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 can be positively correlated with the priority score of the data signals. By prioritizing data signals based on a large distance between remote device 106 and communication and ranging device 100, long latency in authentication processes or general configurations can be reduced. Furthermore, at greater distances, ranging may be less critical, and blocking ranging signal transmission (which may consume more energy) can help extend the lifespan of power supply 105.

[0078] Similarly, controller 107 can be configured to set a priority score for the ranging signal based on the distance between communication and ranging device 100 and removal device 106. That is, the static distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 can be negatively or inversely correlated with the priority score of the ranging signal. By prioritizing the ranging signal when communication and ranging device 100 approaches remote device 106, the risk of increased latency due to disturbances to the ranging signal caused by air traffic or coupling with any printed circuit board (PCB) in communication and ranging device 100 can be reduced. Additionally, the risk of power outage due to voltage drop when battery power is low can also be reduced.

[0079] In some examples, controller 107 may be configured to set a data signal as a priority signal based on the distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 being greater than a data overrun distance (e.g., any overrun disclosed herein may be implemented as a threshold). In some cases, if the distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 is greater than a data overrun distance, it may not be necessary to determine a priority score. In particular, if based on a previous ranging measurement, remote device 106 has exceeded this distance, and the communication and ranging device has not moved, as can be detected by accelerometer 108, it may not be necessary to determine a priority score. That is, in some examples, controller 107 is able to: (a) determine the current distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 based on (i) a previous distance between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 and (ii) motion data associated with communication and ranging device 100 provided by motion sensors. Alternatively, the controller 107 may be configured to set the ranging signal as a priority signal based on the distance between the communication and ranging device 100 and the removal device 106 being less than the ranging over-control distance.

[0080] Similarly, controller 107 can be configured to: (a) determine the distance to the previous position of communication and ranging device 100 based on (i) the previous distance between communication and ranging device 100 and the remote device and (ii) motion data associated with communication and ranging device 100 provided by motion sensors. Controller 107 can be configured to set priority and secondary signals based on the distance to the previous position of communication and ranging device 100. For example, if communication and ranging device 100 has moved beyond a motion overrun threshold, the ranging signal can be set as the priority signal. In this way, if communication and ranging device 100 has moved beyond the motion overrun threshold, it may be necessary to send an event with a new ranging signal to help reduce the uncertainty of the new position of communication and ranging device. For similar reasons, controller 107 can be configured to set the ranging signal as the priority signal if the acceleration of communication and ranging device 100 is above an acceleration overrun threshold.

[0081] In one or more embodiments, controller 107 may be configured to determine priority and secondary signals based on movement of the communication and ranging device 100. Controller 107 may receive information related to movement of the communication and ranging device 100 by means of signaling indicative of movement of the communication and ranging device 100. Movement of the communication and ranging device 100 may be detected by identifying differences between subsequent ranging operations as a result of subsequent ranging signal transmission. Alternatively, the communication and ranging device 100 may include an accelerometer 108, wherein the accelerometer 108 is configured to provide signaling indicative of movement of the communication and ranging device 100 to controller 107. In some examples, controller 107 may be configured to increase the priority score of the ranging signal based on the detection of movement of the communication and ranging device. The priority score may be increased by adding a predetermined amount to the priority score or by multiplying the priority score by, for example, a predetermined weighting value greater than 1. This increase may require a reassessment of the position of the communication and ranging device 100 relative to the remote device 106 due to movement of the communication and ranging device 100. In other examples, controller 107 may be configured to increase the priority score of the ranging signal in a manner proportional to the moving speed of the communication and ranging device 100 (which may be provided by an accelerometer or calculated by determining the rate of change of the position of the communication and ranging device 100). In practice, the faster the communication and ranging device 100 moves, the more important it may be to initiate several ranging events by sending a ranging signal. In yet another example, controller 107 may be configured to designate the ranging signal as a priority signal based on detecting that the moving speed of the communication and ranging device 100 is greater than the overrun speed.

[0082] In one or more embodiments, controller 107 may be configured to determine priority and secondary signals based on the signal strength of one or both of the data signal and the ranging signal. For example, a priority score for the data signal may be set based on the data signal strength. That is, the priority score may be positively correlated with the signal strength. Similarly, the priority score for the ranging signal may decrease as the ranging signal strength becomes weaker. In some cases, the decrease in the priority score may vary monotonically as the signal strength decreases. In other examples, the priority score for the data signal may decrease if the data signal strength is below a data signal strength threshold, and the priority score for the ranging signal may decrease if the ranging signal strength is below a ranging signal strength threshold. The priority score may be reduced by subtracting a predetermined amount from the priority score or by multiplying the priority score by a predetermined weighting value, for example, less than 1. The ranging signal strength may be measured according to the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) or by any other suitable means, such as by the Received Channel Power Indicator (RCPI) of the data signal or the ranging signal. One or more receivers of the remote device can determine the signal strength of the communication and / or ranging signals and transmit the signal strength information back to the communication and ranging device 100 via a data signal. In some examples, the controller 107 can be configured to designate the ranging signal as a priority signal if the signal strength of the data signal is below a data signal strength threshold. Alternatively or additionally, the controller can be configured to designate the data signal as a priority signal if the signal strength of the ranging signal is below a ranging signal strength threshold. Because the data signal and the ranging signal have different purposes, they can use different transmission frequencies, for example, in the BLE and UWB ranges. Thus, based on the material between the communication and ranging device 100 and the remote device 106, these signals can have different skin depths and therefore different attenuation levels. Because of this, there may be situations where, for example, the data signal is stronger than the ranging signal, and transmitting the ranging signal may result in packet loss due to low signal strength. In these cases, it may be advantageous to transmit only the stronger of the two signals, or at least to transmit the stronger of the two signals more frequently.

[0083] In one or more embodiments, controller 107 may be configured to determine priority signals and secondary signals based on a transmission event history log. The transmission event history log may be stored by controller 107, stored elsewhere in the communication and ranging device 100, or accessible by the communication and ranging device 100 from a remote memory. For example, a log of data signal transmission events may be maintained by data signal controller 103, while a log of ranging signal transmission events may be maintained by ranging signal controller 104. In some embodiments, data signal controller 103 and ranging signal controller 104 may be configured to provide signaling indicating the transmission events that have occurred to controller 107 based on the history log. For example, it may be necessary to transmit a minimum number of data signals within a first predetermined prior time period to maintain a data connection with remote device 106. If this minimum number of transmission events is not reached, the connection between communication and ranging device 100 and remote device 106 may be lost, which may be undesirable. For this reason, controller 107 may be configured to increase the priority score of the data signals if, according to the transmission event history log, a minimum number of data signal transmission events have not occurred within the first predetermined prior time period. For example, it may be necessary to send at least one data signal every 30ms, every 70ms, every 100ms, or longer. In some examples, the standard minimum time delay between BLE signal data signal transmission events may be 7.5ms, and the maximum permissible time between data signal transmission events may be 4 seconds. Alternatively or additionally, the controller may be configured to increase the priority score of the ranging signal if a minimum number of ranging signal transmission events have not occurred in a second predetermined prior time period according to the transmission event history log. The first predetermined prior time period for the data signal and the second predetermined prior time period for the ranging signal may be different, because the regularity of data signal transmission may differ from the regularity of ranging signal transmission to achieve acceptable performance. Alternatively, the predetermined prior time periods may be the same, and the minimum number of data signal transmission events and the minimum number of ranging signal transmission events may be the same. The controller 107 may be configured to designate the data signal as a priority signal if the number of data signal transmission events in the first predetermined prior time period according to the transmission event history log is less than the overrun number of data signal transmission events. Similarly, controller 107 can be configured to designate the data signal as a priority signal if the number of ranging signal transmission events in a second predetermined time period according to the transmission event history log is less than the number of overrunning ranging signal transmission events. In another example, controller can be configured to designate the ranging signal as a priority signal if no ranging signal has been transmitted since the communication and ranging equipment was connected.

[0084] In one or more embodiments, a priority score may be determined at least in part based on the remaining power of a power supply 105 configured to provide power to the communication and ranging device 100. For example, a controller 107 may be configured to reduce the priority score of a ranging signal in response to receiving a signal indicating that the power supply 105 has less power than a predetermined level. Transmitting a ranging signal may consume more power than transmitting a data signal. Therefore, limiting the transmission of unnecessary ranging signals may be highly energy-efficient, especially when the power supply 105 becomes insufficient. In some embodiments, the controller 107 may be configured to designate a data signal as a priority signal when the remaining power of the power supply 105 is less than a predetermined level.

[0085] In one or more embodiments, a priority score may be determined at least in part based on a measurement event. A measurement event may be one of several different occurrences that increase or make necessary the transmission of data signals or ranging signals. A measurement event may be a user-initiated event, such as a request from the user of the remote key to unlock the car in the case where the communication and ranging device 100 is a car's remote key. The unlock request may first require the transmission of a ranging signal to determine if the car (remote device 106) is close enough to the remote key to accept the unlock command. Thus, in response to a user-initiated unlock request, the priority score of the ranging signal may be increased. Other examples of user-initiated measurement events may include car starting, (in the case of an IoT device) periodic pandemic tracker (for social ranging), or a handshake event. In some cases, a measurement event may take precedence over any other factor, and therefore the controller 107 may be configured to designate a priority signal as a measurement signal based on the measurement event, bypassing the priority score. The controller 107 can receive an indicator of a measurement event or a user-initiated measurement event request by means of an instruction request or signaling that a measurement event is required received by the controller 107.

[0086] It should be understood that the above list of parameters on which priority signals are based is not exhaustive, and different applications may have different requirements that require consideration of different parameters when determining priority signals. Furthermore, only one parameter or only a subset of these (or other) parameters may be used to determine which signal should be designated as a priority signal and which signal as a secondary signal. Alternatively, all parameters may be used to calculate a priority score. Moreover, parameters may be given equal weight or different weights when calculating the priority score, depending on the relative importance of those parameters. In embodiments including one or more overriding conditions, the controller may be considered to apply the overriding conditions hierarchically, such that a first overriding condition takes precedence over a second overriding condition. In this way, even if more than one overriding condition is met, the controller can still determine which signal to assign as a priority signal and which signal to assign as a secondary signal. This can be implemented, for example, by assigning a predetermined priority score to each overriding condition such that the predetermined priority score defines a hierarchy.

[0087] As indicated above, after one of the data signal and the ranging signal has been designated as a priority signal and the other has been designated as a secondary signal, controller 107 can prevent scheduled transmission events of the secondary signal from being transmitted, so that only scheduled transmission events of the priority signal are transmitted. Signaling provided by controller 107 can be provided to any suitable part of the communication and ranging device 100 to suppress and thus prevent the transmission of the secondary signal. In one example, signaling provided by controller 107 can be configured to prevent a secondary signal generator from generating the secondary signal. In another example, the impedance between the signal generator and antennas 101, 102 can be increased to prevent the secondary signal from reaching antennas 101, 102 for transmission. The impedance can be increased in any suitable manner, for example, by disconnecting a switch associated with the data signal controller 103 or the ranging signal controller 104 in the signal path or by changing the impedance of a variable impedance component (such as a variable resistor, variable inductor, or variable capacitor). It should be understood that other methods of preventing the transmission of the secondary signal can be used.

[0088] Controller 107 may or may not take active steps to record in memory which signal is the priority signal and which signal is the secondary signal. If no active steps are taken, after determining which signal has the highest priority score (or determining which signal should be the priority signal based on overriding conditions), controller 107 can provide signaling to suppress the secondary signal without taking further action. Taking this action related to the secondary signal to allow the transmission of the priority signal without interference can be considered all that is needed to determine the priority signal and the secondary signal.

[0089] Priority and secondary signals can be determined for each case in which the discovery data signal will be sent within a predetermined time window of the ranging signal transmission event.

[0090] Figure 2 An example method 200 for controlling a communication and ranging device is illustrated, wherein the communication and ranging device is configured to transmit a data signal from a first antenna and a ranging signal from a second antenna. The method includes the steps of determining 201 a scheduled transmission event for the data signal and 202 a scheduled transmission event for the ranging signal. The method then includes determining 203 whether the scheduled transmission event for the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event for the ranging signal (or vice versa; i.e., determining whether the scheduled transmission event for the ranging signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event for the data signal). If it is determined that the scheduled transmission event for the data signal will occur within the predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event for the ranging event, or if it is determined that the scheduled transmission event for the ranging signal will occur within the predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event for the data signal, the method further includes determining 204 a priority signal and a secondary signal. As explained above, the priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal, and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the secondary signal. Finally, the method includes providing 205 signaling configured to prevent scheduled transmission events of secondary signals from being transmitted, such that only scheduled transmission events of priority signals are transmitted.

[0091] Figure 3 The diagram shows the process of enabling the processor to execute a reference. Figure 2 The instructions for the method are outlined on a computer-readable medium 300.

[0092] Unless a specific order is explicitly stated, the instructions and / or flowchart steps in the above figures may be performed in any order. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that while an example set of instructions / methods has been discussed, the material in this specification can be combined in various ways to produce other examples, and should be understood within the context of the detailed description provided herein.

[0093] In some example embodiments, the instruction set / method steps described above are implemented as functional and software instructions embodied in an executable instruction set, which is implemented on a computer or machine programmed with and controlled by the executable instructions. Such instructions are loaded to execute on a processor (e.g., one or more CPUs). The term processor includes a microprocessor, microcontroller, processor module or subsystem (including one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers), or other control or computing device. A processor may refer to a single component or multiple components.

[0094] In other examples, the instruction sets / methods illustrated herein, along with their associated data and instructions, are stored in appropriate storage devices, which are implemented as one or more non-transient machine-readable or computer-usable storage media. Such one or more computer-readable or computer-usable storage media are considered part of an article (or article of manufacture). An article or article of manufacture may refer to any single or multiple manufactured components. Non-transient machine-readable or computer-usable media as defined herein do not include signals, but such media are capable of receiving and processing information from signals and / or other transient media.

[0095] Example embodiments of the materials discussed in this specification may be implemented, in whole or in part, via networks, computers, or data-based devices and / or services. These may include cloud, internet, intranet, mobile devices, desktop computers, processors, lookup tables, microcontrollers, consumer devices, infrastructure, or other enabled devices and services. The following non-exclusive definitions are provided as may be used herein and in the claims.

[0096] In one example, automating one or more instructions or steps discussed herein. The terms automation or automatically (and similar variations) mean controlling the operation of equipment, systems, and / or processes using computers and / or mechanical / electrical devices without human intervention, observation, effort, and / or decision-making.

[0097] It should be understood that any components referred to as coupled can be directly or indirectly coupled or connected. In the case of indirect coupling, an additional component may be placed between the two components referred to as coupled.

[0098] In this specification, exemplary embodiments have been presented based on a selected set of details. However, those skilled in the art will understand that many other exemplary embodiments, including different selected sets of details, can be practiced. It is intended that the appended claims cover all possible exemplary embodiments.

Claims

1. A controller for communication and ranging devices, characterized in that, The communication and ranging device is configured to transmit data signals from a first antenna and ranging signals from a second antenna, wherein the controller is configured to: Determine the scheduled transmission event of the data signal; Determine the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal; Determine whether the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal, or determine whether the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the data signal. If it is determined that the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal, or if it is determined that the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the data signal, then a priority signal and a secondary signal are determined, wherein the priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal, and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the ranging signal; and Provide signaling configured to prevent the scheduled transmission event of the secondary signal from being transmitted, such that only the scheduled transmission event of the priority signal is transmitted.

2. The controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is configured to determine the priority signal and the secondary signal based on one or more of the following: - The distance between the communication and ranging equipment and the remote device; -The movement of the communication and ranging equipment; - The signal strength of one or both of the data signal and the ranging signal; - Remaining power of the power source configured to provide power to the communication and ranging equipment; - Send event history logs; as well as - User-initiated measurement events.

3. The controller according to claim 2, characterized in that, The controller is configured to: Calculate the priority score for each of the data signal and the ranging signal; and The signal with the highest priority score is designated as the priority signal.

4. The controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controller is configured to set the priority score of the data signal based on the distance between the communication and ranging device and the remote device.

5. The controller according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that, The controller is configured to set the priority score of the ranging signal based on the detection of the communication and ranging devices.

6. The controller according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The controller is configured to: Receive signaling from an accelerometer forming part of the communication and ranging device, wherein the signaling indicates movement of the communication and ranging device; and The priority signal and the secondary signal are determined based on the signaling from the accelerometer.

7. The controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controller is configured to perform one or both of the following: If the data signal strength is lower than the data signal strength threshold, then the priority score of the data signal is reduced; and If the ranging signal strength is lower than the ranging signal strength threshold, the priority score of the ranging signal is reduced.

8. A communication and ranging device, characterized in that, include: The first antenna is configured to transmit data signals; The second antenna is configured to transmit ranging signals; as well as The controller as described in any of the preceding claims.

9. A method for controlling communication and ranging devices, characterized in that, The communication and ranging device is configured to transmit data signals from a first antenna and ranging signals from a second antenna, the method comprising: Determine the scheduled transmission event of the data signal; Determine the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal; Determine whether the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal; If it is determined that the scheduled transmission event of the data signal will occur within a predetermined time window of the scheduled transmission event of the ranging signal, the method further includes determining a priority signal and a secondary signal, wherein the priority signal is one of the data signal and the ranging signal, and the secondary signal is the other of the data signal and the ranging signal; and Provide signaling configured to prevent the scheduled transmission event of the secondary signal from being transmitted, such that only the scheduled transmission event of the priority signal is transmitted.

10. A computer-readable medium, characterized in that, Includes instructions to cause the processor to perform the method according to claim 9.

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