Multi-layer wireless communication device detection

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to multi-layer wireless communication device detection. The present invention discloses an apparatus, which is configured to: generate a request to initiate a ranging operation for sending to a wireless communication device; process a response indicating that the apparatus will locate the wireless communication device; generate first ranging data; process second ranging data; determine the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus based on at least the first ranging data and the second ranging data, wherein the direction is based on a spherical coordinate system including radial distance, azimuth and polar angle; and generate a graphic for display on a display device based on at least the determined direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus, the graphic indicating the three-dimensional direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

Description

[0001] Priority / Incorporated by Reference

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 586,688, filed on September 29, 2023, entitled “Multilevel Wireless Communication Device Detection and Finding,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art

[0003] There are various mechanisms that allow wireless communication devices to locate each other. Some mechanisms use these features to dynamically generate directions that enable a user of one device to locate another device. For example, a first wireless communication device may receive information from a second wireless communication device that determines the direction of the second wireless communication device relative to the first wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device may then output directions that enable its user to navigate to the second wireless communication device.

[0004] Certain multi-layer / multi-floor environments have proven to be challenging for existing search implementations. These scenarios include, but are not limited to, shopping malls, stadiums, and transit stations. For example, a first user may be located on the first floor of a building, while a second user may be located on the second floor of the building. The users may wish to use search software on their wireless communication devices to find each other, but these devices typically have difficulty handling Z-dimension navigation. Improvements to these 3-D navigation scenarios are therefore needed. Summary of the invention

[0005] Some exemplary embodiments relate to an apparatus having a processing circuit configured to: generate a request to initiate a ranging operation for sending to a wireless communication device; process a response indicating that the apparatus will locate the wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; generate first ranging data for sending to the wireless communication device; process second ranging data based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determine a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus based on at least the first ranging data and the second ranging data, wherein the direction is based on a spherical coordinate system including radial distance, azimuth, and polar angle; and generate a graphic for display on a display device based at least on the determined direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus, the graphic indicating a three-dimensional direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

[0006] Other exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by an apparatus, the method comprising: generating a request to initiate a ranging operation for sending to a wireless communication device; processing a response indicating that the apparatus will locate the wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; generating first ranging data for sending to the wireless communication device; processing second ranging data based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determining a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus based at least on the first ranging data and the second ranging data, wherein the direction is based on a spherical coordinate system including radial distance, azimuth, and polar angle; and generating a graphic for display on a display device based at least on the determined direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus, the graphic indicating a three-dimensional direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 Exemplary arrangements according to various exemplary embodiments are shown.

[0008] Figure 2 An exemplary wireless communication device is shown in accordance with various exemplary embodiments.

[0009] Figure 3 Methods for performing a find location operation between a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device are shown according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0010] Figure 4 Exemplary architectures for seekers and seekees are shown according to various exemplary embodiments.

[0011] Figure 5 An exemplary display device showing navigation arrows is shown according to various exemplary embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Example embodiments may be further understood with reference to the following description and associated drawings, wherein similar elements have the same reference numerals.Exemplary embodiments relate to mechanisms that enable a user of one wireless communication device to locate another wireless communication device and / or user in three-dimensional space.

[0013] The exemplary embodiments are described with respect to a wireless communication device.As will be described in greater detail below, a wireless communication device may include any electronic component configured with hardware, software, and / or firmware to establish a short-range wireless connection to another wireless communication device.

[0014] Some exemplary embodiments include using a short-range communication connection. In some examples, the short-range communication connection can be a Bluetooth connection, such as classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy (BLE), etc. This is merely an example, and the principles described herein for the exemplary embodiments may be applicable to other types of short-range communication connections.

[0015] Some exemplary embodiments include using an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication connection. Other exemplary embodiments include using a cellular network connection or another wireless network connection, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a wide area network (WAN).

[0016] The exemplary embodiments are described with respect to a finder and a found party. In this context, a "found party" may generally refer to a wireless communication device and / or its user that shares its location with other users. A "finder" may generally refer to a wireless communication device and / or its user that receives location information from another user. To provide a non-limiting example, a finder may receive information from a found party for determining the direction of the found party relative to the finder. The finder may dynamically output directions that enable its user to navigate to the found party.

[0017] As described above, finding people / wireless communication devices in multi-layer environments remains an ongoing challenge in the art. Finding applications often have difficulty recognizing and communicating to the user that the target / found party has a different z-coordinate than the user.

[0018] The exemplary embodiments are described with respect to a variety of sensor and software implementations that address the multi-tiered lookup scenarios described above.

[0019] Figure 1 An exemplary arrangement 100 is shown according to various exemplary embodiments. The exemplary arrangement 100 includes a first wireless communication device 110 and a second wireless communication device 120. Figure 2 Examples of these wireless communication devices 110 and 120 are described in more detail. Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 5 , the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 may not currently have a direct connection to each other.

[0020] In this example, the user 102 of the first wireless communication device 110 may wish to locate the user 104 of the second wireless communication device 120. The users 102 and 104 may be separated in the Z dimension, such that locating and navigating between each other would require the wireless communication devices 110 and 120 to analyze and interpret the 3D space of the arrangement 100. As will be described in more detail below, the users 102 and 104 of the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 may form or have previously formed a relationship that allows the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 to find each other. In the example where the user 102 of the first wireless communication device 110 wishes to locate the user 104 of the second wireless communication device 120, the second wireless communication device 120 and / or its user 104 may be considered a "finding party" (e.g., sharing its location with other users), and the first wireless communication device 110 and / or its user 102 may be considered a "finding party" (e.g., receiving location information from another user). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain applications and services allow users to share their location with each other for various lengths of time, ranging from temporary (e.g., on the order of minutes to hours) to indefinite.

[0021] In a non-limiting example, the seeker 102 may move toward the seekee 104 (dynamic / static case); in other cases, both the seeker 102 and the seekee 104 may move (dual dynamic). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous combinations of wireless communication devices 110 and 120 may be used in exemplary seek scenarios (phone / phone, watch / phone, phone / tablet, phone / headset, etc.).

[0022] Figure 2 An exemplary wireless communication device 200 is shown in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. Figure 2 The wireless communication device 200 may represent Figure 1 The wireless communication device 110 or the wireless communication device 120 described herein. The wireless communication device 200 may be any type of electronic component configured to wirelessly connect to another wireless communication device. The wireless connection may be a short-range communication connection. Non-limiting examples include mobile phones, smart phones, tablet computers, wearable devices, embedded devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, virtual reality headsets, augmented reality headsets, etc.

[0023] The wireless communication device 200 may include a processor 205, a memory arrangement 210, a display device 215, an input / output (I / O) device 220, a transceiver 225, an IMU 230, and other components 235. The other components 235 may include, for example, an audio input device, an audio output device, a data acquisition device, a camera, a visual inertial odometry (VIO) component, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, an air pressure sensor (i.e., a barometer), a port for electrical connection to other electronic devices, a sensor for detecting device conditions, and the like.

[0024] The processor 205 may be configured to execute multiple engines of the wireless communication device 200. For example, the engine may perform operations related to locating another wireless communication device, such as, but not limited to, determining whether another wireless communication device is allowed to find the wireless communication device 200 based on advertisements received from other wireless communication devices, forming a response to another wireless communication device attempting to find the wireless communication device 200, and generating directions that enable a user of the wireless communication device 200 to locate the other device. Examples of these operations are described in more detail below.

[0025] The above-mentioned engine as an application (e.g., program) executed by the processor 205 is merely an example. The functions associated with the engine may also be represented as an independent combined component of the wireless communication device 200, or may be a modular component coupled to the wireless communication device 200, for example, an integrated circuit with or without firmware. For example, an integrated circuit may include an input circuit for receiving a signal and a processing circuit for processing a signal and other information. The engine may also be embodied as an application or an independent application. In addition, in some wireless communication devices, the functionality described for the processor 205 is split between two or more processors (such as a baseband processor and an application processor). The exemplary embodiments may be implemented in any of these or other configurations of the wireless communication device.

[0026] The memory arrangement 210 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by the wireless communication device 200. The display device 215 may be a hardware component configured to display data to a user (e.g., display a user interface (UI), a pointing arrow, a text message, etc.). The I / O device 220 may be a hardware component that enables a user to enter input (e.g., locate another person, allow the use of a location-finding service, etc.). The display device 215 and the I / O device 220 may be separate components or may be integrated together (such as a touch screen) or integrated into a virtual reality headset or an augmented reality headset.

[0027] The transceiver 225 may be a hardware component configured to establish a wireless connection with one or more networks or with one or more other wireless communication devices. The transceiver 225 may be configured to use more than one radio access technology. Therefore, the transceiver 225 may work on a variety of different frequencies or channels (e.g., a set of continuous frequencies) to communicate with the network and / or other wireless communication devices. The transceiver 225 may also be configured to use a short-range communication protocol, such as Bluetooth. The transceiver 225 may include a separate transceiver circuit for each of the corresponding types of wireless connections, radio access technologies, and / or operating frequency ranges. The transceiver 225 may include a transceiver circuit configured to operate using Bluetooth communication. The transceiver 225 includes a circuit configured to send and / or receive signals (e.g., control signals, data signals). Such signals may be encoded with information that implements any of the methods described herein. The processor 205 may be operably coupled to the transceiver 225 and configured to receive signals from the transceiver 225 and / or send signals to the transceiver. The processor 205 may be configured to encode and / or decode signals for implementing any of the methods described herein.

[0028] The IMU 230 may be a hardware component including one or more sensors. The sensors may include, but are not limited to, one or more gyroscopes and one or more accelerometers. The IMU 230 may collect data such as, but not limited to, acceleration measurements of the wireless communication device 200 and angular velocity measurements of the wireless communication device 200. When the wireless communication device 200 is the sought party, the IMU data collected by the IMU 235 may be signaled to the seeker, where the data is used to generate a direction that enables the seeker to locate the wireless communication device 200. When the wireless communication device 200 is the seeker, the IMU data collected by the IMU 235 may be used to generate a direction that enables the user of the wireless communication device 200 to locate the sought party.

[0029] According to some aspects, exemplary embodiments relate to generating and enable the user of the finder to locate the direction of the finder.Exemplary embodiments are described in the context of the find operation initiated by the finder.Exemplary find operations are described below about method 300.However, method 300 is not intended to limit exemplary embodiments in any way, and is only provided as a general overview of exemplary find operations.Exemplary embodiments can be used independently of each other, in conjunction with the personnel finder or device finder mechanism of current implementation, in conjunction with the personnel finder or device finder mechanism of future implementation, or independently of other personnel finders or device finder mechanisms.

[0030] Figure 3A method 300 for performing a find location operation between a first wireless communication device 110 and a second wireless communication device 120 according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. In this example, the first wireless communication device 110 may be a finder and the second wireless communication device 120 may be a findee.

[0031] In 310, the first wireless communication device 110 initiates a find operation to locate the second wireless communication device 120. As will be described in more detail below, the find operation may be used by the first wireless communication device 110 to generate directions that enable a user of the first wireless communication device 110 to navigate to the second wireless communication device 120. The directions may include displaying an arrow graphic on a user interface (UI) of an application running on the first wireless communication device 110, the arrow graphic pointing in the direction of the second wireless communication device 120. The arrow may automatically update its orientation based on the position of the first wireless communication device 110 relative to the second wireless communication device 120.

[0032] Before the first wireless communication device 110 initiates a lookup operation for the second wireless communication device 120, the devices 110-120 and / or their users 102 and 104 may have communicated their intent to form a friendship relationship. Throughout this specification, a friendship relationship refers to a configuration in which one wireless communication device is allowed to use a lookup operation to find another wireless communication device. For example, the first wireless communication device 110 may be allowed to locate the second wireless communication device 120, and / or the second wireless communication device 120 may be allowed to locate the first wireless communication device 110.

[0033] The friendship relationship between the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 may include the following states: i) only the first wireless communication device 110 is allowed to be used as a finder and only the second wireless communication device 110 is allowed to be used as a found party, ii) only the second wireless communication device 120 is allowed to be used as a finder and only the first wireless communication device 110 is allowed to be used as a found party, or iii) there is a role reciprocity relationship, in which both the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 are allowed to be used as a finder and a found party. However, reference to the term "friendship relationship" is provided for illustrative purposes only. Different entities may refer to the concept by different names. In addition, various friendship relationships may be time-limited (e.g., until the end of the day) or indefinite.

[0034] To provide a general non-limiting example, a user of a wireless communication device may have a location finding application, and the user may input their intent to form a friendship via a user interface (UI) of the application. The wireless communication device 120 may send one or more keys to the first wireless communication device 110, which are used to establish direct communication between the devices during the finding operation. The one or more keys may be exchanged between the first communication device 110 and the second communication device 120 directly using short-range communication or indirectly using a network connection (e.g., via cellular or Wi-Fi).

[0035] In some embodiments, the key associated with the friendship relationship can be a one-to-one key, for example, the key is unique to the finder / found party friendship, and only the friendship pair will know the friendship key, and no other device can use the specific friendship key to resolve the finder or found party. Users who share their location can revoke permissions at any time, whether offline (e.g., by disabling a specific friendship key) or online (e.g., by indicating to the finder that the friendship key is no longer valid). However, reference to the key mechanism is provided for illustrative purposes only. Exemplary embodiments may utilize any appropriate type of mechanism to manage permissions regarding finder and found party relationships between two or more devices.

[0036] In 315, the first wireless communication device 110 sends one or more signals including a request to initiate a ranging operation to the second wireless communication device 120. The request may include data related to finding the second wireless communication device 120. For example, the request may include data encrypted using a key known to the finder and the findee. In some examples, the request may be a Bluetooth advertisement.

[0037] After sending the request, the first wireless communication device 110 may receive one or more signals from the second wireless communication device 120 including a response indicating that the first wireless communication device 110 will locate the second wireless communication device 120. The first wireless communication device 110 (e.g., a processor) may decode the request based on the one or more signals sent by the second wireless communication device 120 over a cellular or WiFi network.

[0038] In some examples, after sending the Bluetooth advertisement including the request, the first wireless communication device 110 may perform a scanning operation to determine whether the second wireless communication device 120 has responded to the Bluetooth advertisement. As with the advertising operation, these operations may be performed continuously until the party being found is located or the user of the finding party stops trying to locate the party being found.

[0039] Before 310 or 315, on the side of the party being found, the second wireless communication device 120 may scan Bluetooth advertisements from other wireless communication devices that are trying to find the second wireless communication device 120. The scanning operation may be any scanning operation supported by the Bluetooth protocol performed by the party being found. The party being found may be triggered to perform a scanning operation for any of a variety of different reasons (e.g., according to a schedule, triggered by a predetermined condition, in response to user input, etc.). In addition, the scanning operation may be performed when the party being found is offline (e.g., there is no connection to a wireless network). The scanning operation may be continuous before the user of the party being found turns off the capability or before the party being found has identified the finder (e.g., the first communication device 110). These scanning examples are provided for illustrative purposes only, and any appropriate type of scanning operation may be used.

[0040] In 320, the first wireless communication device 110 receives a Bluetooth advertisement from the second wireless communication device 120. In this example, it may be assumed that the second wireless communication device 120 receives the Bluetooth advertisement sent by the first wireless communication device 110 in 315. The second wireless communication device 120 may determine, based on the advertisement and the status of its friendship relationship, that the first wireless communication device 110 is allowed to use a seek operation to locate the second wireless communication device 120. The second wireless communication device 120 may then send one or more Bluetooth advertisements to the first wireless communication device 110, at least the Bluetooth advertisement being received in 320. Thus, the Bluetooth advertisement in 320 may indicate that the second wireless communication device 120 received a Bluetooth advertisement for a seek operation from the first wireless communication device 110.

[0041] The signal exchange in 315-320 allows the searcher and the searched party to discover each other's existence and confirm the status of their friendship relationship. After this exchange, a more accurate location operation can be performed. For example, an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operation can be used to determine a more accurate location of the searched party.

[0042] In 325, the first wireless communication device 110 determines the direction of the second wireless communication device 120 relative to the first wireless communication device 110. For example, as described above, the first wireless communication device 110 may perform a UWB ranging operation to determine the direction of the second wireless communication device 120. Alternatively, or in addition to the UWB ranging operation, the first wireless communication device 110 may use other information collected by other components of the first wireless communication device 110 or the second wireless communication device 120 to determine the direction of the second wireless communication device 120. In some examples, the information may include IMU data collected by the first wireless communication device 110 and / or IMU data collected by the second wireless communication device 120 and provided to the first wireless communication device 110 in any suitable manner.

[0043] In some exemplary embodiments, the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 may each utilize a barometer to determine a barometric pressure value. These barometric pressure values ​​may be used to determine the altitude of each of the wireless communication devices. These altitudes and / or pressure values ​​may correspond to various heights (e.g., floors) of the navigation environment. In some exemplary embodiments, the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120 may first determine an initial distance and direction / orientation between each other. This initial distance may be enhanced by a barometric pressure value from each of the first wireless communication device 110 and the second wireless communication device 120. The distance, direction, and barometric pressure values ​​may be updated at various intervals based on operator specific implementation.

[0044] In other exemplary embodiments, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) may be used to enhance the spatial awareness of the seeker and / or seeker wireless communication devices. LiDAR may be used to generate a spatial depth map of the surroundings of the wireless communication device. In a non-limiting example, the first wireless communication device 110 may utilize LiDAR to enhance the directions provided to the user 102. The LiDAR depth map may be used, for example, to adjust the user interface (e.g., displayed navigation arrows) based on obstacles on the navigation path, rather than guiding the user 102 through obstacles. LiDAR may also enhance wall / floor / level detection.

[0045] Exemplary embodiments may utilize a 3D spherical coordinate system instead of a 2D Cartesian coordinate system. The seeker and / or seekee wireless communication device may utilize radial distance, azimuth, and polar angle. In some exemplary embodiments, UWB and / or LiDAR data may be used to generate precise 3D coordinates, thereby significantly improving 3D navigation.

[0046] In some exemplary embodiments, wireless communication devices 110 and 120 can feature 3D multi-floor detection. The user interface can notify the user that their target (e.g., the party being found) may be located on different floors. In some exemplary embodiments, the party being found can receive a notification that the finder is trying to locate the party being found. In a non-limiting example, the party being found user 104 can receive an instruction not to move from the user interface of the wireless communication device 120 because the finder user 102 is trying to locate them. This may be valuable for parents looking for lost children in a crowded multi-story environment.

[0047] In some exemplary embodiments, wireless communication device 110 may use synthetic aperture technology to derive location information for user 110 and / or user 104. Synthetic aperture may be used to display navigational indicators to the user, such as an arrow pointing toward a location to be found.

[0048] In some exemplary embodiments, Wi-Fi access point names (APNs) may be used for triangulation of the Z-axis of wireless communication devices. For example, in a building with multiple floors, each floor may utilize a different APN associated with that floor. The seeker wireless communication device 110 may determine one or more APNs associated with its current floor, and the seekee wireless communication device 120 may report one or more APNs associated with its current floor.

[0049] In some exemplary embodiments, the wireless communication device 110 and / or the wireless communication device 104 may exchange acoustic data that may or may not be heard by the users 102 and 104. For example, once the user 102 is on the same floor as the user 104 (or in some examples, within a specific distance on the same floor), the wireless communication device 120 may generate a sound received by the wireless communication device 110 via a microphone (or vice versa). The wireless communication device 110 may associate the increased amplitude of the received acoustic data with the reduced distance to the wireless communication device 120. In other exemplary embodiments, the wireless communication device 120 (and / or the wireless communication device 110) may be programmed to play an audible noise once the wireless communication device 110 is within a predefined distance during the search operation. This may enable the user 102 to better locate the user 104. In a non-limiting example, a parent searching for a lost child may navigate to the floor where the child is located. When the parent's wireless communication device is within a predefined distance of the child, the child's wireless communication device may automatically emit a continuous and different audible sound, which further assists the parent / finding party in finding the child / the party being found.

[0050] In 330, the first wireless communication device 110 may output directions that enable a user of the first wireless communication device 110 to navigate to the second wireless communication device 120. In some exemplary embodiments, the directions may be an arrow graphic displayed on a UI of an application that is running on the first wireless communication device 110. The directions may further include, but are not limited to, tactile feedback, audio-based directions, and text-based directions.

[0051] Directions can also be displayed in augmented reality with an augmented reality headset. For example, an arrow graphic can be incorporated into the field of view of the user 102. When the user follows the arrow toward the direction to be found, the augmented reality arrow can adapt to the user's field of view. The augmented reality arrow can also adapt to obstacles along the path of travel of the user 102. For example, the augmented reality arrow graphic can guide the user around objects that are blocking the best (e.g., shortest distance route) navigation path based on visual input to the wireless communication device 110 (such as a camera and LiDAR). This can enhance the user experience compared to guiding the user 102 through obstacles. In some exemplary embodiments, the UI can enhance the arrow graphic to incorporate a 3D coordinate system, and in addition to the X and Y planes, the arrow can also be indicated along the Z plane.

[0052] The directions may be dynamically updated based on the location of the seeker and / or the seekee. Therefore, the operations performed in 325-330 may be continuously performed until the seekee is located or the seeker user stops trying to locate the seekee.

[0053] exist Figure 3 In some exemplary embodiments, the ranging operation (e.g., UWB ranging) can be triggered by a discovery mechanism using Bluetooth (including using Bluetooth advertisements). In other exemplary embodiments, the discovery mechanism can be deployed over the Internet. The Internet-based discovery mechanism may be referred to as an Internet Discovery Service (IDS) in this article. In these exemplary embodiments, a request can be sent from a finder device to a target device (or a found device), and if the finder device receives a response from the target device, UWB ranging is triggered at the target device.

[0054] In yet other exemplary embodiments, the discovery mechanism may be deployed via a cellular connection. In these exemplary embodiments, a cellular connection may be used to send a request from a finder device to a target device (or a finder device), and if the finder device receives a response from the target device, UWB ranging is triggered at the target device. In addition, other types of network connections may also be used to send / receive discovery messages to trigger ranging operations.

[0055] In some exemplary embodiments, different types of discovery mechanisms (e.g., Bluetooth, IDS, cellular, etc.) may be used in combination. For example, two or more discovery mechanisms may be initiated in parallel, and if any of them succeeds, UWB ranging is triggered.

[0056] Figure 4 An exemplary architecture 400 for a finder 410 and a findee 450 is shown in accordance with various exemplary embodiments. Figure 2 An exemplary architecture is described with reference to a wireless communication device 200 of the present invention.

[0057] Architecture 400 provides a general example of the types of components that may interact with each other to enable a seeker to locate a seekee. Architecture 400 includes a seeker 410 (eg, wireless communication device 200) and a seekee 450 (eg, wireless communication device 120).

[0058] The finder 410 may include a finder engine 412 , a motion engine 414 , a LiDAR 416 , a camera 418 , an IMU 420 , a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) 422 , a UWB 424 , Bluetooth 426 , Wi-Fi 428 , a cellular 430 , and an IDS 432 .

[0059] Wi-Fi 428 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to communicate with an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN). Information received from a WLAN or any other appropriate type of wireless network (e.g., cellular) may be used to determine the direction of the party being found 450. However, the finder 410 does not require a network connection and can locate the party being found 450 when offline. In some embodiments, information derived from the WLAN environment (such as, but not limited to, a WLAN or Wi-Fi access point name (APN)) may also be used to determine the direction of the party being found 450. Other information exchanged over link 429 may include a request / response for triggering a ranging operation.

[0060] Cell 430 may represent hardware, software and / or firmware configured to communicate with a cellular network. Information received from the cellular network may be used to determine the direction of the party being found 450. However, the finder 410 does not require a cellular network connection and may locate the party being found 450 when offline. In some embodiments, information derived from the cellular environment (such as, but not limited to, a cell identity (ID)) may also be used to determine the direction of the party being found 450. Other information exchanged over link 431 may include a request / response for triggering a ranging operation.

[0061] IDS 432 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform communications over the Internet and perform the above-described IDS discovery process. This may include exchanging discovery requests with Found Party 450 over link 433, as described above with respect to method 300.

[0062] Bluetooth 426 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform short-range communications with the found party 450. This may include exchanging advertisements with the found party 450 over link 427, as described above with respect to method 300.

[0063] UWB 424 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform ranging operations with seekee 450. This may include exchanging ranging data with seekee 450 over link 425. In some cases, ranging operations may provide a more precise location of seekee 450.

[0064] GNSS 422 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to receive positioning information collected by satellites. The positioning information may correspond to the finder 410 and / or the found party 450 and may be used to determine the direction of the found party 450. Information collected by Wi-Fi 428, cellular 430, IDS 432, Bluetooth 426, UWB 424, and GNSS 422 may be provided to the motion engine 414.

[0065] LiDAR 416 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the surroundings and environment of finder 410. Camera 418 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the surroundings and environment of finder 410. Data collected using LiDAR and / or cameras may be used for three-dimensional mapping of the physical environment.

[0066] IMU 420 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the motion of seeker 410. IMU 420 may collect data such as, but not limited to, acceleration measurements of seeker 410 and angular velocity measurements of seeker 410.

[0067] The information collected by the LiDAR 416, the camera 418, and the IMU 420 may also be provided to the motion engine 414. The motion engine 414 may perform various operations related to deriving the position information of the finder 410 and / or the found party 450. This may include performing a position estimation of the finder 410 and / or the found party 450, performing a range estimation between the finder 410 and the found party 450, performing a time of flight measurement of the signals exchanged with the found party 450, and performing 3D mapping. In some examples, the motion engine 414 may use synthetic aperture technology to derive the position information of the finder 410 and / or the found party 450. In some examples, the motion engine 414 may use machine learning technology to derive the position information of the finder 410 and / or the found party 450.

[0068] The finder engine 412 may manage operations related to interaction with the user (e.g., receiving user input via a UI, etc.). In addition, the finder engine 412 may manage operations related to outputting directions to the user, such as a pointing arrow pointing to the finder 450, tactile feedback that guides the user to the finder 450, text-based feedback that guides the user to the finder 450, etc.

[0069] The found party 450 may include a found party engine 452 , a motion engine 454 , a LiDAR 456 , a camera 458 , an IMU 460 , a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) 462 , a UWB 464 , Bluetooth 466 , Wi-Fi 468 , a cellular 470 , and an IDS 472 .

[0070] Wi-Fi 468 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to communicate with an access point of a WLAN. However, the party being located 450 does not require a network connection and may be located while offline.

[0071] Cellular 470 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to communicate with a cell or node of a cellular network, such as a 5G network. However, the exemplary embodiments may also be implemented in other types of networks, including but not limited to LTE networks, future evolutions of cellular protocols, or any other type of network.

[0072] Bluetooth 466 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform short-range communications with finder 410. This may include exchanging advertisements with finder 410 over link 427, as described above with respect to method 300.

[0073] UWB 464 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to perform ranging operations with finder 410. This may include exchanging ranging data with finder 410 over link 425. In some scenarios, ranging operations may provide a more precise location of finder 410.

[0074] GNSS 462 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to receive positioning information collected by satellites. Positioning information may correspond to the finder 410 and / or the findee 450. Information collected by GNSS 462 may be provided to the finder 410 via Bluetooth link 427, UWB link 425, or in any other appropriate manner. Information collected by Wi-Fi 468, cellular 470, IDS 472, Bluetooth 466, UWB 464, and GNSS 462 may be provided to the motion engine 454.

[0075] LiDAR 456 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the surroundings and environment of the party being found 450. Camera 458 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the surroundings and environment of the party being found 450. Data collected using LiDAR and / or cameras can be used for three-dimensional mapping of the physical environment. In addition, the information collected by LiDAR 456 and camera 458 can be provided to the finder 410 via Bluetooth link 427, UWB link 429, or in any other appropriate manner.

[0076] IMU 460 may represent hardware, software, and / or firmware configured to collect information about the motion of seekee 450. IMU 460 may collect data such as, but not limited to, acceleration measurements of seekee 450 and angular velocity measurements of seekee 450. The information collected by IMU 460 may be provided to seeker 410 via Bluetooth link 427, UWB link 429, or in any other suitable manner.

[0077] The motion engine 454 may perform various operations related to deriving location information of the party being found 450. This may include performing location estimation of the finder 410 and / or the party being found 450, performing distance estimation between the finder 410 and the party being found 450, performing time of flight measurement of signals exchanged with the finder 410, and performing 3D mapping. In some examples, the motion engine 454 may use synthetic aperture technology to derive location information of the finder 410 and / or the party being found 450. In some examples, the motion engine 454 may use machine learning technology to derive location information of the finder 410 and / or the party being found 450. The information derived by the motion engine 454 may be provided to the finder 410 via the Bluetooth link 427, the UWB link 429, or in any other appropriate manner.

[0078] The findee engine 452 can manage operations related to interacting with the user (eg, receiving user input via a UI, generating output, etc.) In some embodiments, a role reciprocity relationship can exist between wireless communication devices, and each device can act as a finder and a findee.

[0079] Exemplary embodiments may be used to generate accurate arrows at the finder. In some embodiments, the finder may generate arrows based on core location information, range data, and / or global positioning information. The core location information may include combined camera data (images, videos, etc.), IMU data, VIO, and APN.

[0080] According to some aspects, exemplary embodiments introduce techniques for generating directions that enable a finder to locate a found party. In the examples provided below, directions are described with respect to arrows displayed on the finder's UI. The arrows are configured to dynamically update based on the movement of the finder and / or the found party.

[0081] Figure 5 An exemplary display device showing navigation arrows is shown according to various exemplary embodiments. Figure 5505 shows the example of the arrow that the search party is directed to the searched party according to various exemplary embodiments. Example 505 shows the display device 215 of the communication device 200 at the first time. The communication device 200 is being used as the search party, and its display device 215 shows the graphics of arrow 510. Arrow 510 is configured to point to the direction of the searched party relative to the position of the search party. This allows the user to walk towards the searched party (or move towards the searched party in any other way). In some examples, the graphics (e.g., arrow 510) can be a 2D graphics. In other examples, the graphics (e.g., arrow) can be a three-dimensional object and / or enhanced with additional graphics, which provide other directional information that enables the user to navigate to the searched party. For example, additional graphics can indicate that the searched party is on a certain floor.

[0082] Example 520 shows the display device 215 of the communication device 200 at a second time after the first time. Between the first time of example 505 and the second time of example 520, at least one of the seeker or the seekee has moved. Therefore, arrow 510 has moved so that it still points to the direction of the seekee relative to the position of the seeker. Figure 5 The examples shown are provided as general examples of the types of information that can be provided to a user to enable the user to navigate toward a sought party. Although the exemplary embodiments are described with respect to arrow generation, the exemplary techniques described herein can be used to generate any suitable type of output (e.g., tactile feedback, static graphics, dynamic graphics, audio alerts, text alerts, lights, etc.) configured to enable a seeker to locate a sought party in a physical environment.

[0083] Example

[0084] In a first embodiment, a method includes: generating a request to initiate a ranging operation for sending to a wireless communication device; processing a response indicating that an apparatus will locate the wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; generating first ranging data for sending to the wireless communication device; processing second ranging data based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determining a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus based on at least the first ranging data and the second ranging data, wherein the direction is based on a spherical coordinate system including radial distance, azimuth, and polar angle; and generating a graphic for display on a display device based on at least the determined direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus, the graphic indicating a three-dimensional direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

[0085] In a second embodiment, a method is described according to the first embodiment, wherein determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based on: processing a first air pressure based on a barometer reading, wherein the first air pressure corresponds to a first altitude of the navigation environment; processing a second air pressure corresponding to a second altitude of the navigation environment based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; and determining a pressure difference between the first air pressure and the second air pressure.

[0086] In a third embodiment, a method is described according to the first embodiment, wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the device is based on: processing inertial measurement unit (IMU) data related to the device; and processing the IMU data of the wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device, wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the device is based at least on the IMU related to the device and the wireless communication device.

[0087] In a fourth embodiment, according to the method of the first embodiment, the first ranging data and the second ranging data are exchanged by at least one of (i) ultra wideband (UWB), (ii) wireless local area network (WLAN), or (iii) a cellular network.

[0088] In a fifth embodiment, according to the method of the first embodiment, the generated graphics are based on a spherical coordinate system.

[0089] In a sixth embodiment, the method of the first embodiment is provided wherein the generated graphic indicates that the apparatus and the wireless device are at different altitudes of the navigation environment.

[0090] In a seventh embodiment, the method of the first embodiment, wherein the first ranging data is based on at least one of collected camera data, collected ultra-wideband data, or collected light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data.

[0091] In an eighth embodiment, according to the method of the seventh embodiment, the method further comprises: when the first ranging data is based on collected camera data or collected LiDAR data, adjusting the displayed graphics based on the collected camera data or the collected LiDAR data indicating an obstacle.

[0092] In a ninth embodiment, the method of the first embodiment is provided wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based at least on global navigation satellite system data associated with the apparatus or the wireless communication device.

[0093] In a tenth embodiment, the method of the first embodiment, wherein generating the graphic to be displayed on the display device is further based on an access point name (APN) identified by at least one of the apparatus or the wireless communication device.

[0094] In an eleventh embodiment, according to the method of the first embodiment, the generated graphic includes an arrow.

[0095] In a twelfth embodiment, the method of the first embodiment, wherein the request is sent via a short range connection, a Wi-Fi connection, an Internet connection, or a cellular connection.

[0096] In a thirteenth embodiment, a processor is provided. The processor is configured to execute any one of the methods described in accordance with the first to twelfth embodiments.

[0097] In a fourteenth embodiment, a wireless communication device is provided. The wireless communication device is configured to perform any one of the methods described in the first to twelfth embodiments.

[0098] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the exemplary embodiments described above may be implemented with any suitable software configuration or hardware configuration or combination thereof. Exemplary hardware platforms for implementing the exemplary embodiments may include, for example, Intel x86-based platforms with compatible operating systems, Windows OS, Mac platforms and MAC OS, mobile devices with operating systems such as iOS, Android, etc. The exemplary embodiments described above may be embodied as a program comprising lines of code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, when compiled, may be executed on a processor or microprocessor.

[0099] Although this patent application describes various combinations of various embodiments each having different features, those skilled in the art will understand that any feature of an embodiment may be combined with features of other embodiments in any manner not publicly denied or with features that are not functionally or logically inconsistent with the operation or function of the device of the embodiments disclosed in the present invention.

[0100] As described above, one aspect of the present technology is to collect and use data obtained from specific and legitimate sources to improve the delivery of inspirational content or any other content that may be of interest to users. The present disclosure contemplates that, in some instances, the collected data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to identify a specific person. Such personal information data may include demographic data, location-based data, online identifiers, phone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, data or records related to the user's health or fitness level (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other personal information.

[0101] The present disclosure recognizes that use of such personal information data in the present technology can be used to benefit users.

[0102] The disclosure envisions that entities responsible for collecting, analyzing, disclosing, transmitting, storing or otherwise using such personal information data will comply with established privacy policies and / or privacy practices. Specifically, it is expected that such entities will implement and consistently apply privacy practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding the industry or government requirements for maintaining user privacy. Such information about the use of personal data should be highlighted and easily accessible to users, and should be updated as the collection and / or use of data changes. The user's personal information should be collected only for legal use. In addition, such collection / sharing should only occur after receiving user consent or other legal basis specified in applicable law. In addition, such entities should consider taking any necessary steps to protect and safeguard access to such personal information data, and ensure that other entities with access to personal information data comply with their privacy policies and procedures. In addition, such entities can subject themselves to third-party assessments to prove that they comply with widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adjusted for specific types of personal information data collected and / or accessed, and applied to applicable laws and standards, including considerations that are exclusive to jurisdictions that can be used to impose higher standards. For example, in the United States, collection or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and / or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); while health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly.

[0103] Regardless of the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates implementation schemes in which users selectively block the use or access of personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates hardware elements and / or software elements to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, the technology of the present invention can be configured to allow users to choose to "opt in" or "opt out" to participate in the collection of personal information data at any time during or after registration for the service. In addition to providing "opt-in" and "opt-out" options, the present disclosure also contemplates providing notifications related to access or use of personal information. For example, a user may be notified that their personal information data will be accessed when downloading an application, and then reminded again just before the personal information data is accessed by the application.

[0104] In addition, it is the intention of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and processed in a manner that minimizes the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Once the data is no longer needed, the risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting the data. In addition and when applicable, including in certain health-related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect the privacy of users. De-identification can be promoted when appropriate by removing identifiers, controlling the amount or specificity of stored data (e.g., collecting location data at the city level rather than at the address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data among users), and / or other methods such as differential privacy.

[0105] Thus, while the present disclosure broadly covers the use of personal information data to implement one or more of the various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that various embodiments may also be implemented without access to such personal information data. That is, various embodiments of the present technology will not fail to function properly due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, content may be selected and delivered to a user based on aggregated non-personal information data or an absolute minimum amount of personal information, such as content processed only on the user's device or other non-personal information that may be used for content delivery services.

[0106] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is intended to cover modifications and variations of the present disclosure, provided that these modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising a processing circuit, wherein the processing circuit is configured to: generating a request to initiate a ranging operation for transmission to a wireless communication device; processing a response indicating that the apparatus will locate the wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; generating first ranging data for transmission to a wireless communication device; processing second ranging data based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determining a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus based at least on the first ranging data and the second ranging data, wherein the direction is based on a spherical coordinate system including radial distance, azimuth angle, and polar angle; and A graphic is generated for display on a display device based at least on the determined orientation of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus, the graphic indicating a three-dimensional orientation of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based on the processing circuit being configured to: processing a first air pressure based on the barometer reading, wherein the first air pressure corresponds to a first altitude of the navigation environment; processing a second air pressure corresponding to a second altitude of the navigation environment based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; and A pressure difference between the first air pressure and the second air pressure is determined.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based on the processing circuit being configured to: processing inertial measurement unit (IMU) data associated with the device; and processing IMU data of the wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device, Wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based at least on the IMU associated with the apparatus and the wireless communication device. 4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first ranging data and the second ranging data are exchanged by at least one of (i) an ultra-wideband (UWB), (ii) a wireless local area network (WLAN), or (iii) a cellular network. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the generated graphics are based on the spherical coordinate system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generated graphic indicates that the apparatus and the wireless device are at different altitudes of a navigation environment.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first ranging data is based on at least one of collected camera data, collected ultra-wideband data, or collected light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: When the first ranging data is based on collected camera data or collected LiDAR data, the displayed graphics are adjusted based on the collected camera data or the collected LiDAR data indicating an obstacle.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based at least on Global Navigation Satellite System data related to the apparatus or the wireless communication device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein generating the graphic to be displayed on the display device is further based on an Access Point Name (APN) identified by at least one of the apparatus or the wireless communication device. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the generated graphic comprises an arrow.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the request is sent via a short-range connection, a Wi-Fi connection, an Internet connection, or a cellular connection.

13. A method performed by an apparatus, comprising: generating a request to initiate a ranging operation for transmission to a wireless communication device; processing a response indicating that the apparatus will locate the wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; generating first ranging data for transmission to a wireless communication device; processing second ranging data based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; determining a direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus based at least on the first ranging data and the second ranging data, wherein the direction is based on a spherical coordinate system including radial distance, azimuth angle, and polar angle; and A graphic is generated for display on a display device based at least on the determined orientation of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus, the graphic indicating a three-dimensional orientation of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based on: processing a first air pressure based on the barometer reading, wherein the first air pressure corresponds to a first altitude of the navigation environment; processing a second barometric pressure corresponding to a second altitude of the navigation environment based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device; as well as A pressure difference between the first air pressure and the second air pressure is determined.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based on: processing inertial measurement unit (IMU) data associated with the device; and processing IMU data of the wireless communication device based on one or more signals received from the wireless communication device, Wherein the determination of the direction of the wireless communication device relative to the apparatus is based at least on the IMU associated with the apparatus and the wireless communication device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first ranging data and the second ranging data are exchanged by at least one of (i) an ultra-wideband (UWB), (ii) a wireless local area network (WLAN), or (iii) a cellular network. The method of claim 13 , wherein the generated graphics are based on the spherical coordinate system.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the generated graphic indicates that the apparatus and the wireless device are at different altitudes of a navigation environment.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the first ranging data is based on at least one of collected camera data, collected ultra-wideband data, or collected light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: When the first ranging data is based on collected camera data or collected LiDAR data, the displayed graphics are adjusted based on the collected camera data or the collected LiDAR data indicating an obstacle.

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