Electronic device for performing ranging using ultra-wideband communication and operating method thereof

Abstract

An electronic device that performs ranging using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication and an operating method thereof are provided. The operating method is performed by a first electronic device and includes transmitting, to a second electronic device, a ranging control message including block span information, determining whether to perform a hop based on a result of transmitting the ranging control message, determining a hop cycle value based on a result of the determining whether to perform the hop and the block span information, and performing ranging with the second electronic device based on the block span information and the hop cycle value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method of operating thereof that performs ranging using an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication scheme. Background Technology

[0002] The Internet has evolved from a human-centric network of connections through which humans generate and consume information to the Internet of Things (IoT) network, where information is received, sent, and processed among distributed components such as objects. The Internet of Everything (IoE) technology is emerging, in which IoT-related technologies are combined with technologies for processing big data, such as those used for cloud servers, through connections to cloud servers. To realize the IoT, various technological components are required, such as sensing technologies, wired / wireless communication and network infrastructure, service interface technologies, and security technologies. In recent years, technologies including sensor networks for connecting objects, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, and machine-type communication (MTC) have been researched.

[0003] In the IoT environment, intelligent Internet technology services can be provided to collect and interpret data from interconnected objects and create new value in human life. Due to the integration and convergence of existing information technology (IT) with various industries, IT can be applied to a wide range of fields, such as smart homes, smart buildings, smart cities, smart or connected cars, smart grids, healthcare, smart appliances, and high-quality medical services.

[0004] Because various services can be provided as wireless communication systems evolve, there is a need for an efficient method to deliver these services. For example, in Media Access Control (MAC), ranging techniques that measure the distance between electronic devices using ultra-wideband (UWB) can be utilized. UWB is a wireless communication technology that uses a very wide frequency band of several GHz or more in the baseband instead of radio carriers.

[0005] The above information is presented as background information only to aid in understanding this disclosure. No determination or assertion is made regarding whether anything disclosed above is applicable as prior art to this disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical issues

[0007] There is a need for an electronic device that performs ranging with at least one electronic device using an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication scheme, and a method for recovering from ranging failures more quickly and for adjusting the ranging period differently for each device.

[0008] Technical solution

[0009] One aspect of this disclosure is to provide an electronic device for performing ranging with at least one electronic device using an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication scheme, and a method for recovering from ranging failures more quickly for each device and for adjusting the ranging period differently.

[0010] One aspect of this disclosure is to provide a method for performing ranging operations using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, the method being performed by a first electronic device, the method comprising: sending a ranging control message to a second electronic device from a first ranging block, the ranging control message including block span information indicating the number of ranging blocks to be skipped; identifying an index value of a second ranging block based on the block span information and an index value of the first ranging block to perform ranging with the second electronic device; and performing ranging with the second electronic device in the second ranging block based on the index value of the second ranging block.

[0011] One aspect of this disclosure is to provide a method for performing ranging operations using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, the method being performed by a second electronic device, the method comprising: receiving a ranging control message from a first electronic device in a first ranging block, the ranging control message including block span information indicating the number of ranging blocks to be skipped; identifying an index value of a second ranging block based on the block span information and an index value of the first ranging block to perform ranging with the first electronic device; and performing ranging with the first electronic device in the second ranging block based on the index value of the second ranging block.

[0012] One aspect of this disclosure is to provide a first electronic device for performing ranging using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, the first electronic device comprising: a transceiver; a memory; and at least one processor configured to execute a program stored in the memory to control the first electronic device to: send a ranging control message to a second electronic device in a first ranging block, the ranging control message including block span information indicating the number of ranging blocks to be skipped; identify an index value of a second ranging block based on the block span information and an index value of the first ranging block to perform ranging with the second electronic device; and perform ranging with the second electronic device in the second ranging block based on the index value of the second ranging block.

[0013] One aspect of this disclosure is to provide a second electronic device for performing ranging using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, the second electronic device comprising: a transceiver; a memory; and at least one processor configured to execute a program stored in the memory to control the second electronic device to: receive ranging control messages from a first electronic device in a first ranging block, the ranging control messages including block span information indicating the number of ranging blocks to be skipped; identify an index value of a second ranging block based on the block span information and an index value of the first ranging block to perform ranging with the first electronic device; and perform ranging with the first electronic device in the second ranging block based on the index value of the second ranging block. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating a general device-to-device (D2D) communication process according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the communication process of a plurality of electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 3 An example of using a single-sided two-way ranging (SS-TWR) with a ranging control frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0018] Figure 4 A ranging block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0019] Figure 5 A timing diagram of a block-based pattern according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a diagram used to describe jumps in ranging according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a diagram used to illustrate a situation where the jump cycle mismatch occurs when adjusting the block duration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating a method for adjusting the ranging period by block span according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating a method for performing a jump when the transmission of a ranging control message including block span information fails, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 10The structure of a payload information element (IE) including block span information is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 11 The structure of a payload IE including block span information is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 12 A flowchart illustrating an operation method of a first electronic device that performs ranging using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 13 A flowchart illustrating an operation method of a second electronic device for performing ranging using UWB communication according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 14 A signal flow diagram illustrating a method for performing ranging between a controller and a controlled device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 15 An example illustrating the structure of a Media Access Control (MAC) frame according to an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 16 The parameters included in the header IE and payload IE according to embodiments of this disclosure are shown.

[0031] Figure 17 The frame control field of a MAC frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0032] Figure 18 The auxiliary security header field of a MAC frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 19 A block diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] Figure 20 A block diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0035] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals will be understood to denote the same parts, components, and structures. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The present disclosure addresses at least the aforementioned problems and / or disadvantages, and provides at least the following advantages. Therefore, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device for performing ranging with at least one electronic device using an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication scheme, and a method for recovering more quickly from ranging failures and adjusting the ranging period differently for each device.

[0037] Other aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments.

[0038] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a method of operating a first electronic device for performing ranging using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication is provided. The method includes: sending a ranging control message (RCM) including block span information to a second electronic device; determining whether to perform a hop based on the result of sending the ranging control message; determining a hop loop value based on the result of determining whether to perform a hop and the block span information; and performing ranging with the second electronic device based on the block span information and the hop loop value.

[0039] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a method of operating a second electronic device for performing ranging using UWB communication is provided. The method includes: determining whether to perform a jump based on a result of receiving a first ranging control message from a first electronic device; determining a jump loop value based on the result of determining whether to perform a jump; receiving a second ranging control message from the first electronic device based on the jump loop value; and performing ranging with the first electronic device based on block span information included in the second ranging control message.

[0040] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a first electronic device is provided for performing ranging using UWB communication. The first electronic device includes a communicator, a memory, and at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to execute a program stored in the memory to control the first electronic device to: send a ranging control message including block span information to a second electronic device via the communicator; determine whether to perform a jump based on the result of sending the ranging control message; determine a jump loop value based on the result of determining whether to perform a jump and the block span information; and perform ranging with the second electronic device based on the block span information and the jump loop value.

[0041] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a second electronic device is provided for performing ranging using UWB communication. The second electronic device includes a communicator, a memory, and at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to execute a program stored in the memory to control the operation of the second electronic device, thereby: determining whether to perform a jump based on a result of receiving a first ranging control message from a first electronic device; determining a jump loop value based on the result of determining whether to perform a jump; receiving a second ranging control message from the first electronic device via the communicator based on the jump loop value; and performing ranging with the first electronic device based on block span information included in the second ranging control message.

[0042] Other aspects, advantages and salient features of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which disclose various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0043] Invention Model

[0044] The following description, provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, is intended to aid in a full understanding of the various embodiments of this disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. It includes various specific details to aid understanding, but these are to be considered exemplary only. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the various embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Furthermore, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures may be omitted.

[0045] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to their literal meaning, but are used by the inventors to enable a clear and consistent understanding of this disclosure. Therefore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the following description providing various embodiments of this disclosure is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0046] It should be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural indicators unless the context clearly specifies otherwise. Thus, for example, referring to “the surface of a component” includes referring to one or more such surfaces.

[0047] Throughout the disclosure, the expression "at least one of a, b, or c" means only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, all of a, b, and c, or variations thereof.

[0048] Examples of terminals may include user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), cellular phone, smartphone, computer, multimedia system capable of performing communication functions, etc.

[0049] In this disclosure, the controller may also be referred to as a processor.

[0050] Throughout the specification, a layer (or layer device) may also be referred to as an entity.

[0051] Furthermore, it should be understood that although terms such as "first," "second," etc., may be used to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another.

[0052] Furthermore, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments of this disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Moreover, it should be understood that when a region is referred to as “connected to” or “linked to” another region, it can be “directly connected or linked to” another region or “electrically connected to” another region. It should be understood that, when used herein, terms such as “comprising,” “including,” and “having” specify the presence of the stated element but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements.

[0053] The term "described" and similar qualifying terms as used herein should be interpreted to cover both the singular and plural. Furthermore, unless otherwise clearly indicated herein, all methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order. This disclosure is not limited to the order of the described operations.

[0054] The phrase “in the embodiments of this disclosure” appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiments of this disclosure.

[0055] Embodiments of this disclosure can be represented by functional block configurations and various processing operations. All or part of such functional blocks can be implemented by any number of hardware and / or software components configured to perform specific functions. For example, the functional blocks of this disclosure can be implemented as one or more microprocessors, or as circuit configurations for certain functions. Furthermore, for example, the functional blocks of this disclosure can be implemented using various programming or scripting languages. Functional blocks can be implemented as algorithms that execute on one or more processors. Furthermore, this disclosure can employ any techniques for electronic environment configuration, signal processing, and / or data processing.

[0056] Furthermore, the connecting lines or connecting components shown in the accompanying drawings are used to represent functional connections and physical or logical connections between components. In real devices, connections between components can be represented by various replaceable or addable functional connections, physical connections, or circuit connections.

[0057] Wireless sensor network technologies are generally categorized into Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) technologies based on their detection range. WLAN is based on IEEE 802.11 and allows connection to a backbone network within a radius of approximately 100 meters. WPAN is based on IEEE 802.15 and includes Bluetooth, ZigBee, and Ultra Wideband (UWB). Wireless networks implementing these technologies can include multiple communication electronic devices. These devices perform communication during an activity cycle using a single channel. In other words, the communication electronic devices can collect and transmit packets during an activity cycle.

[0058] UWB can refer to a short-range, high-speed wireless communication technology that uses a wide bandwidth of several GHz or more, low spectral density, and short pulse width (1-4 nsec) in baseband mode. UWB can also refer to the frequency band itself used for UWB communication. The following descriptions of ranging methods between electronic devices will be based on UWB communication schemes, but these are merely examples. In practice, various wireless communication technologies can be used.

[0059] Electronic devices according to embodiments of this disclosure may include fixed or mobile terminals implemented as computer devices, and may communicate with other devices and / or servers using wireless or wired communication schemes. For example, electronic devices may include smartphones, mobile terminals, laptop computers, digital broadcasting terminals, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable multimedia players (PMPs), navigation systems, tablet PCs, desktop computers, digital televisions (TVs), refrigerators, AI speakers, wearable devices, projectors, smart keys, smart cars, printers, etc., but are not limited to these examples.

[0060] This disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0061] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating a general device-to-device (D2D) communication process according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0062] D2D communication refers to a communication scheme in which geographically close electronic devices communicate directly with each other without going through infrastructure such as base stations.

[0063] Reference Figure 1 Electronic devices can perform one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-many communication. D2D communication can use unlicensed frequency bands such as Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth. Alternatively, D2D communication can improve the frequency utilization efficiency of cellular systems by using licensed frequency bands. D2D communication can be used in a limited way as a term relating to machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, but D2D communication in this disclosure can include not only communication between simple electronic devices, each with communication capabilities, but also communication between various types of electronic devices, such as smartphones or PCs, each with communication capabilities.

[0064] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the communication process of a plurality of electronic devices according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0065] The first electronic device 201 and the second electronic device 202 can communicate through the device search process 203, the link generation process 204, and the data communication process 205.

[0066] During the device search process 203, the first electronic device 201 and the second electronic device 202 can each search for other electronic devices capable of performing D2D communication between themselves and other electronic devices located around them. In this way, the first electronic device 201 and the second electronic device 202 can each determine whether to establish a link for D2D communication. For example, the first electronic device 201 can send a search signal to allow the second electronic device 202 to search for it. Furthermore, the first electronic device 201 can receive the search signal sent by the second electronic device 202 and confirm that other electronic devices capable of performing D2D communication are within D2D communication range.

[0067] In the link generation process 204, the first electronic device 201 and the second electronic device 202 can each generate a link for data transmission with the electronic device, so as to transmit data between the electronic devices found in the device search process 203. For example, the first electronic device 201 can generate a link for data transmission with the second electronic device 202 found in the device search process 203.

[0068] In the data communication process 205, the first electronic device 201 and the second electronic device 202 can each send data to and receive data from the device that generated the link in the link generation process 204. For example, the first electronic device 201 can send data to and receive data from the second electronic device 202 through the link generated in the link generation process 204.

[0069] Various embodiments of this disclosure relate to Media Access Control (MAC) based on the aforementioned D2D communication, and it is necessary to measure the distance between electronic devices used for MAC. UWB ranging technology can be used to measure the distance between electronic devices. For example, when numeric keys stored in a smartphone are used to open or close a vehicle door, the vehicle can measure the distance between the smartphone and the vehicle using multiple UWB communication modules (e.g., six UWB communication modules) and estimate the smartphone's position based on the measurement results. When the distance between the vehicle and the smartphone is within a certain range, the vehicle can automatically open the door, thereby increasing user convenience. The vehicle and smartphone can use multicast ranging or broadcast ranging.

[0070] Electronic devices according to embodiments of this disclosure can perform ranging by using ranging control frames. Two types of devices associated with ranging control can be referred to as a "controller" or a "controlled device".

[0071] Controller 100 (see Figure 3A distance control device (LCD) can be defined as a device that defines and controls distance parameters by sending distance control frames along with a distance control interface (IE). The distance control frame is used to set lane parameters for distance measurement. In this disclosure, "distance control frame" and "distance control message" can be used to refer to the same thing.

[0072] Controller 200 (see Figure 3 A device can be defined as using ranging parameters received from controller 100. At least one controller can be managed by the controller. Methods for determining the role of the device (e.g., the role of controller 100 or the role of controller 200) and selecting ranging parameters can be implemented in various ways.

[0073] Furthermore, the two types of devices used for ranging control can be referred to as "initiators" or "responders." An initiator is a device that starts ranging by sending a poll. A responder is a device that responds to the polls received from the initiator.

[0074] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a controller can determine the devices and device types participating in ranging by using a ranging initiator / responder list (IRL) IE or a ranging scheduler (RS) IE. The IRL IE and RS IE can be carried by the ranging control frame. In schedule-based ranging, the RS IE can be configured by the controller 100 to indicate the resource management and device roles (i.e., the role of an initiator or responder). In contention-based ranging, when the RS IE is not used, the IRL IE can be used to determine the device role.

[0075] The scheduling mode field of the ranging control IE indicates whether ranging frames are sent using contention or scheduling. Devices not specified in these IEs cannot participate in ranging. When a device needs to send polling frames, the device type of the corresponding device can be determined as the initiator, and the device responding to the polling frames can be determined as the responder.

[0076] In contention-based multicast / broadcast ranging, when the controller is the only initiator in ranging and the destination address field in the MAC header of the ranging control frame specifies the responder, the controller may not add the IRL IE to the ranging control frame.

[0077] Because ranging control frames include IRL IE or RS IE, the controlled device can determine whether to send polling frames by receiving ranging control frames. When the controlled device's device type is specified as an initiator in IRL IE or RS IE, the controlled device can send polling frames. Both the controller and the controlled device can act as initiators or responders.

[0078] Figure 3An example of one-sided two-way ranging (SS-TWR) using a ranging control frame is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0079] refer to Figure 3 Flowchart 301 shows that when controller 100 sets itself to send polling frames, controller 100 can act as an initiator and send polling frames. Conversely, as... Figure 3 As shown in flowchart 302, when the controller 100 sets the controller 200 to send polling frames, the controller 200 can become an initiator and send polling frames.

[0080] In addition, the ranging control frame may include a ranging confirmation IE indicating the type of ranging response. Multiple controllers can be used for multicast / broadcast / many-to-many (M2M) ranging.

[0081] The device according to embodiments of this disclosure can perform ranging on a unit of ranging blocks.

[0082] A ranging block refers to a period used for ranging. A ranging block consists of multiple ranging rounds. A ranging round represents the period required to complete a full distance measurement cycle between a pair of ranging devices participating in the ranging exchange. A ranging round consists of multiple ranging slots. A ranging slot represents the period used to send a ranging frame.

[0083] Figure 4 A ranging block structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0084] Reference Figure 4 The ranging block 410 may include N ranging cycles 421, 422, 423, 424 and 425. In the ranging block, the first ranging cycle 421 may include M ranging time slots 431, 432, 433 and 434.

[0085] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, two types of ranging modes (e.g., interval-based mode and block-based mode) can be used for access control. The block-based mode uses a strict time structure, while the interval-based mode does not. The controller 100 can select one of these modes and specify the appropriate mode by using a time structure indicator for the ranging control IE.

[0086] The block-based pattern uses a ranging block structure that uses a timeline set at a certain period.

[0087] In a block-based mode, the ranging block structure can be determined based on the ranging block duration field, the ranging cycle duration field, and the ranging slot duration field included in the information about ranging control. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the information about ranging control can be an advanced ranging control (IE).

[0088] When the device receives a ranging control message (RCM), it can set the relevant timeline and ranging block structure for ranging by using the field values ​​of the ranging control IE included in the RCM. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of this disclosure, the ranging block structure can be set by the next higher layer.

[0089] Controller 100 can repeatedly send the ranging block structure through all RCMs. When the ranging block structure needs to be changed or updated, controller 100 can send a ranging block update (RBU) IE that includes fields related to the ranging block update.

[0090] Furthermore, based on the first ranging cycle in the ranging block, the index values ​​of each ranging cycle can be set to increase sequentially. (See reference...) Figure 4 When the ranging block 410 includes N ranging cycles 421, 422, 423, 424 and 425, the index value of the first ranging cycle 421 of the ranging block 410 can be 0, while the index value of the last ranging cycle of the ranging block 410 can be N-1.

[0091] Still refer to Figure 4 The index value of each ranging time slot in the ranging cycle can be set to sequentially increase based on the first ranging time slot in the ranging cycle. In this case, for example, when M ranging time slots 431, 432, 433 and 434 are included in the first ranging cycle 421, the index value of the first ranging time slot 431 of the first ranging cycle 421 can be 0, and the index value of the last ranging time slot 434 of the first ranging cycle 421 can be M-1.

[0092] Figure 5 A timing diagram of a block-based pattern according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0093] refer to Figure 5 The index value of each ranging block can be set to increase sequentially based on the first ranging block. In this case, for example, the index value of the first ranging block can be N-1, and the index value of each ranging block can be set to increase by 1 sequentially.

[0094] Figure 5The diagram illustrates multiple ranging cycles included in a ranging block N with an index value N. Each ranging cycle may include multiple ranging time slots. Ranging frames can be transmitted within these time slots. Furthermore, a transmission offset can be set for the ranging frame, and the ranging frame can be transmitted within the ranging time slot. A ranging frame is a frame that is transmitted and received between devices to perform ranging. For example, a ranging frame may be a frame that includes a ranging marker, which is information used to define a reference time point.

[0095] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating jumps in ranging according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0096] In UWB-based ranging, hopping can refer to an operation where ranging is performed in another previously specified ranging loop when it is not suitable to perform ranging in the ranging loop used between devices. In this case, for example, each device can pre-store a hopping sequence for performing hopping.

[0097] According to embodiments of this disclosure, when ranging is successful in the ranging loop currently being used in the current ranging block, the electronic device participating in ranging can perform ranging in the same ranging loop, even in the next ranging block. For example, when the electronic device participating in ranging uses ranging loop m in ranging block n, ranging loop m can also be used in ranging block n+1. (In this case, n and m are integers greater than or equal to 0.) However, when ranging fails in the ranging loop currently being used in the current ranging block, the controller 100 can determine to "hop" to another ranging loop in the next ranging block. That is, when ranging fails in the currently used ranging loop, the electronic device can perform ranging in a hop loop with a different index value in the next ranging block. For example, when the electronic device participating in ranging uses ranging loop m in ranging block n, ranging loop k (k is an integer greater than or equal to 0) can be used in ranging block n+1. The hop sequence, including the hop loop determined for each block, can be determined differently for each session.

[0098] Reference Figure 6 In ranging block N-1 611, controller 100 and controller 200 can perform ranging in ranging loop 0 631 with index value 0. (In this case, N is a natural number.) Controller 100 can determine that ranging exchange is performed smoothly and can send an RCM with a jump mode field value of 0 to controller 200.

[0099] like Figure 6As shown, when the distance measurement between the controller 100 and the controller 200 is successful in the distance measurement loop 0631 of distance measurement block N-1 611, the controller 100 and the controller 200 can continue to use the distance measurement loop with the same index value in the next distance measurement block. When the distance measurement is successful in the distance measurement loop 0631 of distance measurement block N-1 611, the controller 100 and the controller 200 can perform distance measurement by even using the distance measurement loop 0632 with an index value of 0 in distance measurement block N 612.

[0100] However, when ranging fails in ranging loop 0 631 of ranging block N-1 611, controller 100 and controller 200 can perform a jump in the next ranging block (i.e., ranging block N 612) and determine to perform ranging in another ranging loop. When ranging fails in ranging loop 0 631 of the current ranging block N-1 611, controller 100 can perform ranging by jumping to ranging loop 3 (i.e., jump loop 652) with index value 3 in the next ranging block (i.e., ranging block N 612).

[0101] like Figure 6 As shown, jump cycles 651, 652, and 653 can be determined differently for each range measurement. Therefore, a jump cycle can refer to the range measurement cycle corresponding to the jump cycle value determined based on the index value of the range measurement block.

[0102] like Figure 6 As shown, when the ranging between the controller 100 and the receiver 200 is successful in ranging loop 0631 of ranging block N-1 611, the controller 100 and the receiver 200 can continue to use ranging loop 0632 with the same index value 0 even in the next ranging block (i.e., ranging block N 612). In this case, the controller 100 can determine that the ranging exchange was performed smoothly and can send an RCM with a jump mode field value of 0 to the receiver 200.

[0103] However, as Figure 6 As shown, when the ranging message is not fully sent in ranging loop 0 632 of ranging block N 612, controller 100 and controller 200 can perform a jump and determine to perform ranging in another ranging loop. Controller 100 can determine that the ranging exchange was not performed smoothly and can send an RCM with the jump mode field value of 1 to controller 200.

[0104] When ranging fails in ranging loop 0 632 of ranging block N 612, controller 100 and controller 200 can perform a jump in the next ranging block (i.e., ranging block N+1 613) and determine to perform ranging in another ranging loop. When ranging fails in ranging loop 0 632 of the current ranging block N 612, controller 100 can perform ranging by jumping to ranging loop 1 (i.e., jump loop 653) with index value 1 in the next ranging block (i.e., ranging block N+1 613).

[0105] The controller 100 and the receiver 200 can determine the skip cycle among the multiple ranging cycles included in the ranging block N+1 613. Determining the skip cycle may mean changing the index value of the ranging cycle used to perform ranging among the multiple ranging cycles included in the ranging block from the currently used first value to a second value.

[0106] Shorter ranging cycles between electronic devices consume more power, but faster ranging is possible. Conversely, longer ranging cycles increase the time required for ranging, but consume less power. Therefore, to select between power saving and faster ranging as needed, the ranging cycle between electronic devices can be dynamically changed. However, block-based approaches face the following difficulties in dynamically adjusting the ranging cycle.

[0107] Figure 7 This is a diagram used to illustrate the difficulties caused by the mismatch of jump cycles when the block duration changes according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0108] Reference Figure 7 The controller 100 can change the block duration to dynamically change the ranging period, and can send a control message to the controller 200 including information about the changed block duration. When the controller 200 changes the block duration based on the received control message, the controller 100 and the controller 200 can continue to perform ranging based on the changed block duration.

[0109] However, when the controller 200 fails to receive a control message, it is impossible to restore ranging cycle matching even when performing a jump. When the controller 200 fails to receive a control message, the controller 100 operates based on the changed ranging block duration, but the controller 200 operates based on the existing ranging block duration. Therefore, the controller 100 and the controller 200 operate in units of ranging blocks with different durations and based on at least one of different numbers of ranging cycles and cycle durations. When the timing of the jump cycle changes, it is anticipated that it will be impossible to recover to the jump mode from an RCM failure between electronic devices, or this will take a significant amount of time.

[0110] Furthermore, to recover from an RCM transmission failure, a method could be considered where controller 100 returns to the existing ranging block duration and retransmits the RCM. However, the altered ranging block duration can only be restored to the existing ranging block duration when only one controller (e.g., controller 200) is provided. When controller 100 alters the ranging block duration while performing ranging with multiple controllers, a method of restoring the existing ranging block duration can be considered only for the controller that failed to receive the RCM. However, when restoring the ranging block duration, the ranging timing does not match between controller 100 and the remaining controllers that successfully received the RCM and altered the ranging block duration.

[0111] Therefore, this disclosure proposes a method to change the ranging period by using block striding in order to recover from ranging failures more quickly.

[0112] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating a method for changing the ranging period by means of block span according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0113] Reference Figure 8 Timing diagram 801 illustrates the case where the ranging cycle is changed by altering the existing block duration. Controller 100 can perform ranging with controller 200 by using at least one ranging cycle among multiple ranging cycles included in ranging block 811. Controller 100 can determine that a block duration change is needed, send an RCM including block duration change information to controller 200, and perform ranging with controller 200 by using at least one ranging cycle among multiple ranging cycles included in ranging block 812 with the changed block duration. Controller 100 can also perform ranging in ranging block 813 based on the changed block duration.

[0114] Figure 8 Timing diagram 802 illustrates the case where the ranging period is adjusted by block span according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Controller 100 can perform ranging with controller 200 by using at least one ranging cycle among a plurality of ranging cycles included in ranging block 821. In ranging block 821, controller 100 can send an RCM to controller 200 to set the span length to 0 without performing block span. Because no block span is performed, controller 100 can perform ranging in ranging block 822 immediately after ranging block 821.

[0115] In the ranging block 822, the controller 100 can determine the required block span and send an RCM including block span length information to the receiver 200. (See reference...) Figure 8The controller 100 can send an RCM to the receiver 200 to set the span length to 1. Because the block span length is set to 1, the controller 100 and the receiver 200 can skip a ranging block (e.g., ranging block 823) and perform ranging in the next ranging block 824.

[0116] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating a method for performing a jump when an RCM transmission including block span information fails, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0117] The controller 100 can perform ranging with the controlled device 200 by using at least one ranging cycle among a plurality of ranging cycles included in the ranging block 911. In the ranging block 912, the controller 100 can determine the required block span and send an RCM including block span length information to the controlled device 200. For example, in Figure 9 In the ranging block 912, the controller 100 can send an RCM to the receiver 200 to set the span length to 1.

[0118] Reference Figure 9In ranging block 912, the controller 200 may fail to receive control messages. In this case, the controller 100 may perform a jump and determine to perform ranging in another ranging loop. Because the controller 200 failed to receive the RCM requesting the block span in ranging block 912, the controller 200 may wake up in ranging block 913 immediately after ranging block 912 and wait to receive the RCM. In this case, because the controller 200 failed to receive the ranging message in ranging block 912, the controller 200 may wake up in the jump loop of ranging block 913 and wait to receive the RCM. When ranging is performed using a controller, the controller 100 according to the embodiments of this disclosure cannot send the RCM requesting the block span in ranging block 912. Therefore, the controller 100 cannot perform the block span, but may wake up in ranging block 913 immediately after ranging block 912 and retransmit the RCM. However, when multiple controllers are used to perform ranging, the controller 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure must perform block spanning to match the ranging timing with the remaining controllers that successfully received the RCM, even if some controllers fail to receive the RCM. Therefore, the controller 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure can determine whether all controllers communicating with the controller 100 have failed to receive the RCM. When all controllers, including controller 200, fail to receive the RCM including block span length information, the controller 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may not perform block spanning. The controller 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure can wake up in the skip loop of the next ranging block and retransmit the RCM. On the other hand, when all controllers fail to receive the RCM (i.e., when at least one controller other than controller 200 successfully receives the RCM), the controller 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may need to perform block spanning. Figure 9 This illustrates a scenario where controller 200 fails to receive an RCM in ranging block 912, while at least one other controller successfully receives an RCM. Referring to the RCM transmitted in ranging block 912, because controller 100 is configured to skip a ranging block (e.g., ranging block 913), controller 100 does not perform ranging operations in ranging block 913, such as transmitting an RCM (i.e., performing the span of ranging block 913). Therefore, since controller 100 does not transmit an RCM in ranging block 913, controller 200 also fails to receive an RCM in ranging block 913, in addition to ranging block 912.

[0119] If the controller 200 fails to receive a control message in the ranging block 913, the controller 100 can perform another jump and determine to perform ranging in another ranging cycle. The controller 200 can be woken up in the ranging block 914 immediately after the ranging block 913 and wait for the RCM to be received.

[0120] Because controller 100 determines that the block span length in ranging block 912 is 1, controller 100 can skip a ranging block (e.g., ranging block 913) and perform ranging in the next ranging block (e.g., ranging block 914). Furthermore, because controller 100 failed to send an RCM in ranging block 912, controller 100 can determine to perform a skip. Controller 100 can wake up in the skip cycle of ranging block 914 based on the block span length and send an RCM to the controller 200.

[0121] Therefore, the controller 100 and the controlled device 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure can dynamically adjust the ranging period using the block span, even when the block duration does not change. Thus, since the block duration does not change even when the ranging period changes, the changed ranging period does not affect the jump cycle. Furthermore, even when the ranging period changes, it is not necessary to recalculate the jump cycle for each block. Therefore, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, even in the event of a ranging failure, the recovery of the ranging timing caused by the jump is rapid.

[0122] Figure 10 The structure of a payload IE including block span information is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0123] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the controller 100 can send block span information to the controller 200 using the content field of the payload IE of the RCM. For example, the controller 100 can... Figure 15 The MAC frame with the structure shown is sent as RCM to the controller 200. According to... Figure 10 The effective load IE of the structure shown can be applied to all controllers that perform distance measurement using controller 100, with the same span length.

[0124] Reference Figure 10 Table 1010 shows that the content fields of the payload IE may include information related to the UWB message ID, span length, distance measurement device management list length, and distance measurement device management list.

[0125] The UWB message ID field can indicate the type information of the UWB message. For example, a UWB message ID with a value of 0x11 can indicate that the corresponding message is a control message type 1 associated with ranging control.

[0126] The span length field indicates the number of blocks to skip. The span length field can be 1 byte or 2 bytes in size. For example, a span length field value of 0 indicates that no block skipping is performed.

[0127] For example, when the span length field is 1 byte in size, 28 -1 = 255. Therefore, up to 255 blocks can be skipped. When 255 blocks are skipped, the ranging interval can be approximately 256. 100ms. Therefore, it may take the device approximately 25.6 seconds to perform a single ranging operation. As another example, when the span length field size is 2 bytes, 2 16 -1 = 65,535. Therefore, up to 65,535 blocks can be skipped. When skipping 65,535 blocks, the ranging interval can be approximately 65,536. 100ms. Therefore, it may take approximately 109.2 minutes for the device to perform one ranging operation.

[0128] The Distance Measurement Device Management List Length field indicates the number of elements in the Distance Measurement Device Management List field. Each element in the Distance Measurement Device Management List field may include the parameters shown in Table 1020.

[0129] The range measurement device management list field can include a list of range measurement roles, range measurement time slot indexes, and the addresses of range measurement devices.

[0130] The Ranging Role field indicates whether the selected ranging device acts as an initiator or a responder. For example, when the Ranging Role field value is 1, it indicates that the corresponding ranging device acts as an initiator. When the Ranging Role field value is 0, it indicates that the corresponding ranging device acts as a responder.

[0131] The ranging time slot index field indicates the time slot index assigned to the device identified by the address field. The address field indicates each device participating in the ranging.

[0132] When using Figure 10 When the structure shown has an effective load IE, the same span length can be applied to the controller that performs distance measurement using controller 100. On the other hand, when using Figure 11 When the effective load IE of the structure shown is applied, different span lengths can be applied to the controller that performs distance measurement using controller 100. Because Figure 10 The description of the parameters shown can be applied to Figure 11 The parameters shown are omitted due to redundant descriptions.

[0133] Figure 11 The structure of a payload IE including block span information is shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0134] Reference Figure 11 Table 1110 shows that the content fields of the payload IE may include information related to the UWB message ID, the length of the ranging device management list, and the ranging device management list.

[0135] The Distance Measurement Device Management List Length field indicates the number of elements in the Distance Measurement Device Management List field. Each element in the Distance Measurement Device Management List field may include the parameters shown in Table 1120.

[0136] The range measurement device management list fields can include a list of range measurement roles, range measurement time slot indexes, span lengths, and the addresses of range measurement devices. Therefore, according to... Figure 11 The structure shown allows for the application of different span lengths to the controller performing ranging.

[0137] The operation of each of the controller 100 and the controlled device 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below. Because ranging is performed between two electronic devices, one of the two electronic devices can be a controller and the other a controlled device. Therefore, in the following description, controller 100 may be referred to as a first device, and controlled device 200 may be referred to as a second device. However, the terms "first" and "second" are used to distinguish the devices from each other, and embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the following description. Controlled device 200 may be referred to as the first device, and controller 100 may be referred to as the second device.

[0138] Figure 12 A flowchart illustrating an operation method of a first electronic device for performing ranging using UWB communication according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0139] Reference Figure 12 In operation S1210, the first electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can send an RCM including block span information to a second electronic device. The first electronic device can send the RCM including block span information to multiple electronic devices, including the second electronic device.

[0140] Block span information may include information about the number of blocks to skip before performing the next ranging operation. A first electronic device according to embodiments of this disclosure can adjust the ranging period by changing the number of blocks to skip. Since the RCM including block span information has been referenced... Figure 10 and Figure 11 A description has been provided; redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0141] In operation S1220, the first electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether to perform a jump based on the result of sending RCM.

[0142] If no RCM scheduling message is received within a certain period of time, the first electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can determine that the RCM transmission has failed.

[0143] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a first electronic device can send an RCM to a ranging cycle with a first index value, which is included in a plurality of ranging cycles in a first ranging block. When no message scheduled via the RCM is received during a certain period in a ranging cycle with the first index value in the first ranging block, the first electronic device can determine that the RCM transmission has failed. The first electronic device can determine to perform a jump based on the determination that the RCM transmission has failed. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the first electronic device can determine whether all electronic devices communicating with the first electronic device for ranging have failed to receive the RCM. When all electronic devices, including a second electronic device, have failed to receive the RCM, the first electronic device can determine not to perform a block jump. The first electronic device can not perform a block jump and can wake up in the jump cycle of the next ranging block and retransmit the RCM. On the other hand, when not all electronic devices have failed to receive the RCM (i.e., when the second electronic device has failed to receive the RCM and at least one other electronic device has successfully received the RCM), the first electronic device according to embodiments of this disclosure can determine to perform a block jump. When the first electronic device determines to perform a block jump, the first electronic device can perform operation S1230.

[0144] In operation S1230, the first electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine a jump loop value based on the result of determining whether to perform a jump and block span information.

[0145] When the first electronic device determines to perform a jump, it can determine the jump loop value based on the block span information.

[0146] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a first electronic device can determine the index value of a second ranging block to be used for the next ranging operation based on block span information. When the index value of the current ranging block is N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 0) and the first electronic device determines that n blocks (n is an integer greater than or equal to 0) should be skipped, the first electronic device can determine N+n+1 as the index value of the second ranging block.

[0147] The first electronic device can determine the hop loop value based on the index value of the second ranging block. The first electronic device can also determine the hop loop value by considering the result of a random number generation function calculated based on the index value of the second ranging block and the hop key value of the ranging session. When initiating a ranging session with the second electronic device, the first electronic device can share the hop key with the second electronic device.

[0148] In operation S1240, the first electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can perform ranging with the second electronic device based on block span information and jump cycle value.

[0149] The first electronic device can perform ranging in a second ranging cycle, which corresponds to the jump cycle value determined in operation S1230, among multiple ranging cycles included in the second ranging block. The jump cycle value is determined based on block span information. When the first electronic device determines to skip n blocks (n is an integer greater than or equal to 0), it can skip the next n blocks of the first ranging block and perform ranging in the (n+1)th ranging block. After sending RCM in operation S1210, the first electronic device can perform ranging in the (1+n)th ranging block. The ranging operation is performed after (block duration).

[0150] On the other hand, returning to operation S1220, when the RCM scheduling message sent in operation S1210 is received within a certain time, the first electronic device according to the embodiment of this disclosure determines that the RCM transmission was successful. When the first electronic device determines that the RCM transmission was successful, the first electronic device can determine not to perform a jump. The first electronic device can determine the index value of the second ranging block to be ranging based on the block span information. Because the first electronic device has determined not to perform a jump, the first electronic device can perform ranging in a ranging loop with the previously used first index value, which is included in the multiple ranging loops in the second ranging block.

[0151] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, a first electronic device can send an RCM to a third device, the RCM including second block span information different from the block span information of the second electronic device. The first electronic device can perform ranging with the third device based on the second block span information. For example, the first electronic device can determine to skip n blocks (n is an integer greater than or equal to 0) in ranging with the second electronic device, and can determine to skip m blocks (m is an integer greater than or equal to 0) in ranging with the third electronic device. To apply different span lengths to the device performing ranging, the following can be used: Figure 11 The effective load IE of the structure shown.

[0152] Figure 13 A flowchart illustrating an operation method of a second electronic device for performing ranging using UWB communication according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0153] Reference Figure 13 In operation S1310, the second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine whether to perform a jump based on the result of receiving the first RCM from the first electronic device.

[0154] When the first RCM is not received during a specific time period in a ranging cycle with a first index value, which is included in a plurality of ranging cycles in the first ranging block, the second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can determine that the reception of the first RCM has failed. The second electronic device can determine to perform a jump based on the determination that the reception of the first RCM has failed.

[0155] In operation S1320, the second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may determine a jump loop value based on the result of determining whether to perform a jump.

[0156] When the second electronic device determines to perform a jump, it can determine the index value of the second ranging block to perform ranging. The second electronic device can determine the jump loop value based on the index value of the second ranging block.

[0157] As an example, when the index value of the current ranging block is N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 0) and the previously negotiated block span length is 0, the second electronic device can determine N+1 as the index value of the second ranging block. For example, when the index value of the current ranging block is N and the previously negotiated block span length is n, the second electronic device can determine N+n+1 as the index value of the second ranging block.

[0158] The second electronic device can determine the jump cycle value based on the index value of the second ranging block. The second electronic device can also determine the jump cycle value by considering the result of a random number generation function calculated based on the index value of the second ranging block and the jump key value of the ranging session. When initiating a ranging session with the second electronic device, the second electronic device can receive the jump key from the first electronic device.

[0159] When no RCM is received in the ranging cycle determined by the jump, the second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may repeatedly perform operations S1310 and S1320.

[0160] In operation S1330, the second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can receive the second RCM from the first electronic device based on a jump cycle value. The second electronic device can receive the second RCM in a second ranging cycle corresponding to the jump cycle value, which is included in the ranging cycle of the second ranging block.

[0161] In operation S1340, the second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may perform ranging with the first electronic device based on block span information included in the second RCM.

[0162] The block span information may include information related to the number of blocks to be skipped. A second electronic device according to embodiments of this disclosure can adjust the ranging period by changing the number of blocks to be skipped. Because the RCM including the block span information has already referenced... Figure 10 and Figure 11 A description has been provided; redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0163] The second electronic device can determine the index value of the third ranging block to be ranged based on the block span information. When the index value of the second ranging block of the second RCM is N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 0) and the information indicating the number of blocks to be skipped is n is included in the second RCM in operation S1330, the second electronic device can determine N+n+1 as the index value of the third ranging block.

[0164] The second electronic device can perform ranging in the third ranging cycle, which corresponds to the jump cycle value determined in operation S1320, among the multiple ranging cycles included in the third ranging block.

[0165] Returning to operation S1310, when the first RCM is received in a ranging loop with a first index value included in the ranging loop of the first ranging block, the second electronic device according to embodiments of the present disclosure can determine that the first RCM has been successfully received and can determine not to perform a jump. The second electronic device can determine the index value of the second ranging block to be used for ranging. The second electronic device can perform ranging in a ranging loop with a first index value included in the ranging loop of the second ranging block.

[0166] As described above, according to embodiments of this disclosure, an electronic device can adjust the ranging period by using block spans, so that a jump mode can be used for recovery in the event of ranging failure.

[0167] Furthermore, existing methods for adjusting the ranging period by changing the ranging block duration provide a process for rematching ranging timing when ranging between electronic devices fails, by restoring the changed ranging block duration to the original block duration. However, the method of recovering from ranging failure by restoring the changed ranging block duration to the original block duration is only available when the controller performs ranging using a single controller. On the other hand, according to embodiments of this disclosure, recovery from ranging failure is possible even when the controller performs ranging using multiple controllers, and relatively rapid recovery is possible.

[0168] Furthermore, when the jump cycle for each ranging block is pre-calculated, the jump cycle is not affected even when the ranging period is adjusted by using the block span. Therefore, it is not necessary to recalculate the jump cycle. Additionally, the controller according to embodiments of this disclosure can vary the ranging period relative to each controller.

[0169] Figure 14 A signal flow diagram illustrating a method for performing ranging according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 14An example is shown in which controller 100 is used as a starter.

[0170] Reference Figure 14 In operation S1410, the controller 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can send a control message type 1 in SPO packet format to the controlled device 200. The controller 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can... Figure 15 The MAC frame with the structure shown is sent as RCM to the controller 200.

[0171] In operation S1420, the controller 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may send a ranging initiation message in SP3 packet format to the controlled device 200. In operation S1430, the controlled device 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may send a ranging response message in SP3 packet format to the controller 100. In operation S1440, the controller 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may send a ranging final message in SP3 packet format to the controlled device 200.

[0172] In operation S1450, the controller 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may send a measurement report message type 1 in SPO packet format to the controller 200. In operation S1460, the controller 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may send a ranging result report message type 1 in SPO packet format to the controller 100. The measurement report message type 1 may include information about measurements used to calculate the Time of Flight (ToF) (e.g., round-trip time, response time, etc.). The ToF calculated using the received information may be carried in a subsequent ranging result report message type 1.

[0173] Figure 15 An example of the structure of a MAC frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0174] Figure 17 The frame control field of a MAC frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0175] Figure 18 The auxiliary security header field of a MAC frame according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0176] Reference Figure 15 According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 100 can... Figure 15 The MAC frame with the structure shown is sent as RCM to the controller 200.

[0177] refer to Figure 17 The frame control field indicates the format and settings of the frame. For example, the frame control field may have... Figure 17 The format shown.

[0178] The sequence number field specifies the sequence identifier for this frame. The destination PAN ID field (if present) is an unsigned integer specifying the unique PAN ID of the intended receiver of the frame.

[0179] The destination address field (if present) has the length specified in the destination addressing mode field of the frame control field and specifies the address of the intended receiver of the frame.

[0180] refer to Figure 18 The Source PAN ID field (if present) specifies the unique PAN ID of the frame initiator. The Source Address field (if present) specifies the address of the frame initiator. Secondary Security Header fields specify information required for security processing. For example, the Frame Control field may have... Figure 18 The format shown.

[0181] exist Figure 15 The vendor-specific header IEs indicated in the document are reserved for other protocols and / or data that are only relevant to certain implementations. Figure 15 The vendor-specific nested IEs designated as payload IEs are reserved for other protocols and / or data relevant only to certain embodiments. References will follow. Figure 16 A more detailed description of vendor-specific header IEs and vendor-specific nested IEs.

[0182] Figure 16 The parameters included in the header IE and payload IE according to embodiments of this disclosure are shown.

[0183] refer to Figure 16 Table 1610 shows the header IE format according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The header IE may include length information, element ID information, type information, and content information.

[0184] The length field indicates the size of the content field. The element ID field indicates the element's type information. For example, an element ID with a value of 0 could indicate that the element is a vendor-specific header IE. The type field indicates the element's type information. For example, a type field with a value of 0 could indicate that the element is a header IE. The content field can include information about the content of the UWB message.

[0185] The payload IE format according to embodiments of this disclosure is shown in Table 1620. The payload IE may include length information, group ID information, type information, and content information.

[0186] The length field indicates the size of the content field. The group ID field indicates the group's type information. For example, a group ID field with a value of 2 could indicate that the group is a vendor-specific nested IE. The type field indicates the element's type information. For example, a type field with a value of 1 could indicate that the element is a payload IE. The content field can include information about the content of the UWB message.

[0187] Figure 19 A block diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0188] The controller 100 according to various embodiments of this disclosure may be a fixed terminal or a mobile terminal. The controller 100 may be at least one of, for example, a smartphone, navigation system, computer, digital broadcasting terminal, smart home appliance, AI speaker, personal digital assistant (PDA), portable media player (PMP), smart key, or wearable device. The controller 100 may communicate with other devices and / or servers via a network using wireless or wired communication schemes.

[0189] Reference Figure 19 The controller 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may include a communicator 110, a processor 120, and a memory 130. However, the controller 100 may include more than Figure 19 The number of components shown may be more or less.

[0190] exist Figure 19 In this disclosure, controller 100 is shown as including a single processor, but embodiments thereof are not limited thereto. Controller 100 may include multiple processors. In the following, at least a portion of the operation and functions of processor 120 may be performed by multiple processors. Figure 19 The controller 100 shown can execute the operation methods of the controller 100 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and can be applied Figures 1 to 18 Therefore, redundant descriptions of those provided above will be omitted.

[0191] The communicator 110 according to embodiments of the present disclosure can perform wired or wireless communication with other devices and / or networks. For this purpose, the communicator 110 may include a communication module supporting at least one of various wired and wireless communication methods. For example, the communication module may be in the form of a chipset, or it may be an adhesive label or barcode (e.g., an adhesive label including a near field communication (NFC) tag) that includes information necessary for communication.

[0192] Wireless communication may include at least one of, for example, cellular communication, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, UWB, or NFC. Wired communication may include at least one of, for example, Universal Serial Bus (USB) or High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI).

[0193] In embodiments of this disclosure, the communicator 110 may include a communication module for short-range communication. For example, the communicator 110 may include a communication module for performing various short-range communications (e.g., infrared communication, magnetically secure transmission (MST), and magnetically secure communication) other than UWB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, and NFC.

[0194] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communicator 110 can communicate with the controller 200 using a first communication scheme or a second communication scheme. For example, the second communication scheme can be a UWB communication scheme, and the first communication scheme can be a communication scheme different from the second communication scheme. For example, the first communication scheme can be a Bluetooth communication scheme, but is not limited thereto.

[0195] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor 120 can control the overall operation of the controller 100 by executing a program stored in the memory 130, and may include at least one processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU). The processor 120 can control other components included in the controller 100 to perform UWB ranging.

[0196] Figure 12 The description can be applied to a specific method of ranging performed by the processor 120 through the overall operation of the control controller 100, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0197] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor 120 can send an RCM including block span information to the controller 200 via a communicator 110. The block span information may include information about the number of blocks to be skipped. The processor 120 according to embodiments of the present disclosure can adjust the ranging period between the controller 100 and the controller 200 by changing the number of blocks to be skipped. Because the RCM including block span information has been referenced... Figure 10 and Figure 11 A description has been provided; redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0198] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor 120 may determine whether to perform a jump based on the result of sending RCM.

[0199] For example, if no message scheduled via RCM is received within a certain time period, processor 120 can determine that RCM transmission has failed. For example, if no message scheduled via RCM is received during a period in a ranging loop with a first index value within a first ranging block, processor 120 can determine that RCM transmission has failed. Processor 120 can determine to execute a jump based on the determination that RCM transmission has failed.

[0200] As another example, when a message scheduled via the transmitted RCM is received within a certain time, processor 120 can determine that the transmission of the RCM was successful. When processor 120 determines that the transmission of the RCM was successful, processor 120 can determine not to perform a jump. Processor 120 can determine the index value of the second ranging block to be ranging based on the block span information. Because processor 120 has determined not to perform a jump, processor 120 can perform ranging in a ranging loop with the first index value, which is included in a plurality of ranging loops in the second ranging block. Processor 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can determine whether all controlled devices communicating with controller 100 for ranging have failed to receive the RCM. When all controlled devices have failed to receive the RCM, processor 120 can determine not to perform a block span. Processor 120 can not perform a block span and can wake up in the jump loop of the next ranging block and retransmit the RCM. On the other hand, when not all controllers fail to receive the RCM (i.e., when controller 200 fails to receive the RCM and at least one other controller besides controller 200 successfully receives the RCM), the processor 120 according to an embodiment of this disclosure can determine the execution block span. When the processor 120 determines the execution block span, the processor 120 can perform the following operations.

[0201] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor 120 can determine a jump loop value based on the result of determining whether to perform a jump and block span information. When the processor 120 determines to perform a jump, the processor 120 can determine the jump loop value based on the block span information. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor 120 can determine the index value of the second ranging block to be ranging to be performed based on the block span information. When the current index value of the first ranging block is N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 0) and the processor 120 determines to skip n blocks (n is an integer greater than or equal to 0), the processor 120 can determine N+n+1 as the index value of the second ranging block. The processor 120 can determine the jump loop value based on the index value of the second ranging block.

[0202] For example, processor 120 can determine the jump loop value by considering the result of a random number generation function calculated based on the index value of the second ranging block and the jump key value of the ranging session. When initiating a ranging session with controller 200, processor 120 can share the jump key with controller 200.

[0203] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the processor 120 can perform ranging with the controller 200 based on block span information and jump cycle values. The processor 120 can perform ranging in a second ranging cycle, corresponding to the jump cycle value determined based on the block span information, included in the ranging cycle of the second ranging block. When the processor 120 determines to skip n blocks (n is an integer greater than or equal to 0), the processor 120 can skip the next n blocks of the first ranging block and perform ranging operations in the (n+1)th ranging block. After sending RCM in the first ranging block, the processor 120 can perform ranging in the (n+1)th ranging block. The ranging operation is performed after (block duration).

[0204] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the processor 120 can send an RCM to a third device, the RCM including second block span information different from the block span information used for the controller 200. The processor 120 can perform ranging with the third device based on the second block span information. To apply different span lengths to the device performing ranging, it is possible to use... Figure 11 The effective load IE of the structure shown.

[0205] Figure 20 A block diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0206] The controlled device 200 according to various embodiments of this disclosure can be a fixed terminal or a mobile terminal. The controlled device 200 can be at least one of, for example, a smartphone, navigation system, computer, digital broadcasting terminal, smart home appliance, AI speaker, PDA, PMP, smart key, or wearable device. The controlled device 200 can communicate with other devices and / or servers via a network using wireless or wired communication schemes.

[0207] Reference Figure 20 The controlled device 200 according to various embodiments of this disclosure may include a communicator 210, a processor 220, and a memory 230. However, the controlled device 200 may include more than Figure 1 The number of components shown may be more or less.

[0208] exist Figure 20 In this disclosure, the controller 200 is shown as including a processor, but embodiments thereof are not limited thereto. The controller 200 may include multiple processors. In the following, at least a portion of the operation and function of the processor 220 may be performed by multiple processors. Figure 20 The controller 200 shown can perform operating methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, and can be applied Figures 1 to 18 Therefore, descriptions that are redundant with those provided above will be omitted.

[0209] The communicator 210 according to embodiments of this disclosure can perform wired or wireless communication with other devices or networks. For this purpose, the communicator 210 may include a communication module supporting at least one of various wired and wireless communication methods. For example, the communication module may be in the form of a chipset, or it may be an adhesive label or barcode (e.g., an adhesive label including an NFC tag) that includes information necessary for communication.

[0210] Wireless communication may include at least one of, for example, cellular communication, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, UWB, or NFC. Wired communication may include at least one of, for example, USB or HDMI.

[0211] In embodiments of this disclosure, the communicator 210 may include a communication module for short-range communication. For example, the communicator 210 may include a communication module for performing various short-range communications other than UWB, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, and NFC, such as infrared communication, MST, and magnetic security communication.

[0212] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the communicator 210 can communicate with the controller 100 using a first communication scheme or a second communication scheme. For example, the second communication scheme can be a UWB communication scheme, and the first communication scheme can be a communication scheme different from the second communication scheme. For example, the first communication scheme can be a Bluetooth communication scheme, but is not limited thereto.

[0213] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor 220 can control the overall operation of the controller 200 by executing a program stored in the memory 230, and may include at least one processor, such as a CPU or GPU. The processor 220 can control other components included in the controller 200 to perform UWB ranging. Figure 13 The description can be applied to a specific method of ranging performed by the processor 220 through controlling the overall operation of the controller 200, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0214] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, processor 220 may determine whether to perform a jump based on the result of receiving a first RCM from controller 100.

[0215] If the first RCM is not received during a period of a ranging cycle with a first index value, which is included in a plurality of ranging cycles in the first ranging block, the processor 220 may determine that the reception of the first RCM has failed. The processor 220 may determine to perform a jump based on the determination that the first RCM reception has failed.

[0216] As another example, when a first RCM is received in a ranging loop with a first index value included in the ranging loop of the first ranging block, processor 220 can determine that the first RCM has been successfully received and can determine that no jump is performed. Processor 220 can determine the index value of the second ranging block to be used for ranging. Processor 220 can perform ranging in a ranging loop with a first index value included in the ranging loop of the second ranging block.

[0217] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, processor 220 may determine a jump loop value based on the result of determining whether to perform a jump.

[0218] When processor 220 determines to perform a jump, it can determine the index value of the second ranging block to perform ranging. For example, if the index value of the current ranging block is N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 0) and the previously negotiated block span length is 0, processor 220 can determine N+1 as the index value of the second ranging block. Similarly, if the index value of the current ranging block is N and the previously negotiated block span length is n, processor 220 can determine N+n+1 as the index value of the second ranging block.

[0219] Processor 220 can determine the jump loop value based on the index value of the second ranging block. Processor 220 can also determine the jump loop value by considering the result of a random number generation function calculated based on the index value of the second ranging block and the jump key value of the ranging session. When a ranging session with controller 200 is initiated, processor 220 can receive the jump key from controller 100.

[0220] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor 220 can receive a second RCM from the controller 100 based on a jump cycle value. The processor 220 can receive the second RCM in a second ranging cycle corresponding to the jump cycle value, which is included in the ranging cycle of the second ranging block.

[0221] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, processor 220 can perform ranging with controller 100 based on block span information included in the second RCM.

[0222] Block span information may include information about the number of blocks to be skipped. The processor 220 according to embodiments of this disclosure can adjust the ranging period by changing the number of blocks to be skipped. Because the RCM including block span information has already referenced... Figure 10 and Figure 11 A description has been provided; redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0223] The processor 220 can determine the index value of the third ranging block to be ranged based on the block span information. When the index value of the second ranging block of the second RCM is N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 0) and the information indicating the number of blocks to be skipped is n is included in the second RCM, the processor 220 can determine N+n+1 as the index value of the third ranging block.

[0224] Processor 220 may perform ranging in a third ranging loop included in the third ranging block. The index value of the third ranging loop may be the same as the index value of the second ranging loop in which processor 220 receives the second RCM. When processor 220, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, determines that the second RCM has been fully received, processor 220 may stop skipping and repeat ranging in a ranging loop having the same index value as the second ranging loop that received the second RCM.

[0225] Embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented as software programs including instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0226] A computer is a device capable of recalling stored instructions from a storage medium and performing operations according to the recalled instructions, as described in the embodiments of the present disclosure. The computer may include a controller and a controlled device according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0227] Computer-readable storage media may be provided in the form of non-transitory storage media. The term "non-transitory" means that the storage medium does not include signals and is tangible, and does not limit data to being stored semi-permanently or temporarily in the storage medium.

[0228] Furthermore, the electronic device or method according to embodiments of this disclosure can be provided as an integral part of a computer program product. The computer program product can be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer.

[0229] Computer program products may include software programs and computer-readable storage media on which the software programs are stored. For example, a computer program product may include a product in the form of a software program (e.g., a downloadable app) distributed electronically by an electronics manufacturer or an electronic marketplace (e.g., Google Play Store, App Store, etc.). For electronic distribution, at least a portion of the software program may be stored in a storage medium or may be temporarily generated. In this case, the storage medium may be the storage medium of a manufacturer's server, an electronic marketplace's server, or a relay server temporarily storing the software program.

[0230] In a system that includes a server and a terminal (e.g., a controller or a controlled device), the computer program product may include the storage medium of the server or the terminal. Alternatively, when a third device (e.g., a smartphone) is communicatively connected to the server or terminal, the computer program product may include the storage medium of the third device. Alternatively, the computer program product may include the software program itself, which is sent from the server to the terminal or the third device, or from the third device to the terminal.

[0231] In this scenario, one of the server, terminal, and third device may execute a computer program product to perform the method according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Alternatively, two or more of the server, terminal, and third device may execute a computer program product to perform the method according to embodiments of the present disclosure in a distributed manner.

[0232] For example, a server (e.g., a cloud server or an artificial intelligence server, etc.) can execute a computer program product stored on the server to control a terminal communicatively connected to the server to perform a method according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0233] As another example, the third device may execute a computer program product to control a terminal communicatively connected to the third device to perform a method according to embodiments of this disclosure. As a specific example, the third device may remotely control a controller or slave to send or receive packaged images.

[0234] When a third device executes a computer program product, it may download the computer program product from a server and execute the downloaded computer program product. Alternatively, the third device may execute a computer program product provided in a pre-loaded state to perform a method according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0235] Although this disclosure has been shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for performing ranging operations using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, the method being performed by a first electronic device, the method comprising: In the first ranging block, a ranging control message is sent to the second electronic device, the ranging control message including block span information indicating the number of ranging blocks to be skipped; The index value of the second ranging block is identified based on the block span information and the index value of the first ranging block to perform ranging with the second electronic device; and Based on the index value of the second ranging block, ranging with the second electronic device is performed in the second ranging block.

2. The operating method as described in claim 1, further comprising: If the number of ranging blocks to be skipped is not 0, skip at least one ranging block according to the number of ranging blocks to be skipped.

3. The operating method as described in claim 1, wherein, When the index value of the first ranging block is N, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0, and the block span length is n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 0, the index value of the second ranging block is identified as N+n+1.

4. The operating method as described in claim 1, wherein, If the number of ranging blocks to be skipped is zero, no ranging blocks are skipped.

5. The operating method as described in claim 1, wherein, Sending the ranging control message includes sending the ranging control message in a ranging loop with a first index value, which is included in a plurality of ranging loops in the first ranging block.

6. A method for performing ranging operations using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, the method being performed by a second electronic device, the method comprising: In the first ranging block, a ranging control message is received from the first electronic device, the ranging control message including block span information indicating the number of ranging blocks to be skipped; The index value of the second ranging block is identified based on the block span information and the index value of the first ranging block in order to perform ranging with the first electronic device; as well as Based on the index value of the second ranging block, ranging with the first electronic device is performed in the second ranging block.

7. The operating method as described in claim 6, further comprising: If the number of ranging blocks to be skipped is not 0, skip at least one ranging block according to the number of ranging blocks to be skipped.

8. The operating method as described in claim 6, wherein, When the index value of the first ranging block is N, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0, and the block span length is n, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 0, the index value of the second ranging block is identified as N+n+1.

9. The operating method as described in claim 6, wherein, If the number of ranging blocks to be skipped is zero, no ranging blocks are skipped.

10. The operating method as described in claim 6, wherein, Receiving the ranging control message includes receiving the ranging control message in a ranging loop with a first index value, which is included in a plurality of ranging loops in the first ranging block.

11. A first electronic device for performing ranging using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, the first electronic device comprising: transceiver; Memory; as well as At least one processor is configured to execute a program stored in the memory to control the first electronic device: In the first ranging block, a ranging control message is sent to the second electronic device, the ranging control message including block span information indicating the number of ranging blocks to be skipped; The index value of the second ranging block is identified based on the block span information and the index value of the first ranging block in order to perform ranging with the second electronic device; as well as Based on the index value of the second ranging block, ranging with the second electronic device is performed in the second ranging block.

12. A second electronic device for performing ranging using ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, the second electronic device comprising: transceiver; Memory; as well as At least one processor is configured to execute a program stored in the memory to control the second electronic device: In the first ranging block, a ranging control message is received from the first electronic device, the ranging control message including block span information indicating the number of ranging blocks to be skipped; The index value of the second ranging block is identified based on the block span information and the index value of the first ranging block in order to perform ranging with the first electronic device; as well as Based on the index value of the second ranging block, ranging with the first electronic device is performed in the second ranging block.

Images