Ranging with biometric information

Abstract

Techniques are provided for authenticating a user based on ranging and biometric information. An example method for transmitting a ranging signal from a mobile device includes receiving, with the mobile device, biometric information from a user, generating, with the mobile device, a ranging signal including an indication of the biometric information, and transmitting, with the mobile device, the ranging signal.

Description

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 160,756, entitled "RANGING WITH BIOMETRIC INFORMATION," filed on January 27, 2023, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application, and the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Background Art

[0003] The use of wireless devices for many daily activities is becoming widespread. Modern wireless devices can utilize one or more wireless communication technologies. For example, wireless devices can communicate using short - range communication technologies such as WiFi technology, Bluetooth technology, Ultra - Wideband (UWB) technology, millimeter - wave (mmWave) technology, etc. The use of short - range communication technologies such as WiFi and Bluetooth in wireless devices has become more common in the past few years and is often used in retail enterprises, offices, homes, cars, manufacturing operations, and public gathering places. The larger bandwidth of UWB devices can be beneficial for ranging protocols used in high - security applications such as digital keys. Some ranging messaging is vulnerable to air attacks to forge time - of - arrival estimates. There is a need to improve the ranging security of wireless devices to support multiple use cases. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An example method for transmitting a ranging signal from a mobile device according to the present disclosure includes: receiving, by the mobile device, biometric information associated with a user; generating, by the mobile device, a ranging signal including an indication of the biometric information; and transmitting, by the mobile device, the ranging signal.

[0005] An example method for authenticating a user of a mobile device using ranging and biometric information according to the present disclosure includes: receiving biometric information of a user of the mobile device; determining a distance to the mobile device; and authenticating the user and the distance to the mobile device at least in part based on the biometric information.

[0006] An example method for mapping between biometric information and a ranging session according to the present disclosure includes: receiving, via one or more biometric sensors at a first time, biometric information associated with a user; authenticating the user based on the biometric information; obtaining one or more radio frequency signals transmitted from a mobile device associated with the user in proximity to the first time; and storing signal information associated with the one or more radio frequency signals and the mobile device.

[0007] The projects and / or technologies described herein may provide one or more of the following capabilities, as well as other capabilities not mentioned. A wireless device may be configured to exchange positioning signals to determine the distance between devices (e.g., based on time-of-flight measurements) and the orientation relative to each other (e.g., based on angle-of-arrival measurements). Biometric information may be obtained from a user and may be utilized in a radio frequency (RF) ranging exchange. The biometric information may be provided to an authentication station via out-of-band communication. The biometric information may be included in a ranging packet. The biometric information may be provided at an access point while obtaining RF ranging measurements. A mapping between the biometric information and the RF ranging measurements may be generated. Subsequent access to a user may be authorized based on the RF ranging measurements and the mapping information. The RF ranging information may be used to predict an entry point. The security of an RF ranging session may be improved. Other capabilities may be provided, and not every implementation according to the present disclosure must provide any of the capabilities discussed, let alone all of them. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example wireless local area network (WLAN).

[0009] Figure 2 is a block diagram of components of an example wireless device.

[0010] Figure 3A is a block diagram of components of an example access point.

[0011] Figure 3B is a block diagram of components of an example ultra-wideband (UWB) device.

[0012] Figure 4 is a block diagram of an example communication module having multiple transceivers.

[0013] Figure 5A and Figure 5B includes an example message flow diagram for an enhanced ranging device (ERDEV).

[0014] Figure 6 is a diagram of an example ranging block for use in a UWB ranging session.

[0015] Figure 7 is a diagram of an example physical protocol data unit (PPDU) frame configuration incorporating a synchronization preamble for ranging.

[0016] Figure 8A is a diagram of an example signal exchange for UWB ranging.

[0017] Figure 8B is a diagram of an example angle-of-arrival of a UWB signal.

[0018] Figure 9It is a message flow diagram of an example ranging session in WiFi.

[0019] Figure 10 is a block diagram of a process for generating a pseudorandom number based on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

[0020] Figure 11 It is a diagram of an example signal exchange for ranging using biometric information.

[0021] Figure 12 It is a diagram of an example access point use case including a biometric sensor and a ranging signal.

[0022] Figure 13 It is an example packet configuration for UWB ranging using biometric information.

[0023] Figure 14 It is an example process flow for authenticating a user using ranging and biometric information.

[0024] Figure 15 It is an example process flow for mapping between biometric information and a ranging session.

[0025] Figure 16 It is an example process flow for authenticating a user based on the mapping between biometric information and a ranging session.

[0026] Figure 17 It is an example process flow for sending a ranging signal from a mobile device. Detailed implementation

[0027] This document discusses techniques for authenticating users based on ranging and biometric information. A wireless device can be configured to determine the distance between devices based on the exchange of radio frequency (RF) signals. Cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, sidelink, ultra-wideband (UWB), and other wireless technologies can utilize ranging signals (such as positioning reference signals (PRS), fine timing messages (FTM), and other time scheduling techniques or contention-free techniques) to determine the relative distance between stations. For example, wireless positioning techniques can be utilized to provide accurate relative positioning between devices within a limited range. Two wireless devices can be configured to exchange RF signals to determine the time of flight (ToF) and angle of arrival (AoA) information of the RF signals. However, in operation, some wireless ranging techniques may be vulnerable to spoofing attacks to fake ToF estimates. The techniques provided in this document can utilize biometric information in combination with in-band and / or out-of-band communication to increase the security of wireless ranging messages. In an example, biometric information associated with a user of a mobile device can be provided to a target station during a ranging control phase. The biometric information can be included in a message in the ranging measurement exchange. In an example, the correlation between the biometric information and the ranging information can be determined at an access point, and subsequent access can be authorized based on the ranging information. These techniques and configurations are examples, and other techniques and configurations can be used.

[0028] The following description provides examples, and the following description is not a limitation of the scope, applicability, or examples set forth in the claims. Changes can be made to the functionality and arrangement of the elements discussed without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Various examples can appropriately omit, substitute, or add various processes or components. For example, the methods described can be performed in a different order than described, and various steps can be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with respect to some examples can be combined in other examples.

[0029] Refer to Figure 1, The block diagram illustrates an example of a WLAN network 100, such as a network implementing the IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.15 standard series. The WLAN network 100 may include an access point (AP) 105 and one or more wireless devices 110 or stations (STAs) 110, such as mobile stations, head-mounted devices (HMDs), personal digital assistants (PDAs), asset tracking devices, other handheld devices, netbooks, notebook computers, tablet computers, laptop computers, display devices (e.g., TVs, computer monitors, etc.), printers, IoT devices, asset tags, key fobs, vehicles, etc. The AP 105 and the wireless devices 110 may be WiFi, Bluetooth, and / or UWB-capable devices. Although one AP 105 is shown, the WLAN network 100 may have multiple APs 105. Each of the wireless devices 110 (which may also be referred to as a mobile station (MS), mobile device, access terminal (AT), user equipment (UE), subscriber station (SS), or subscriber unit) may be associated with and communicate with the AP 105 via a communication link 115. Each AP 105 has a geographic coverage area 125 such that wireless devices 110 within that area are generally able to communicate with the AP 105. The wireless devices 110 may be dispersed throughout the geographic coverage area 125. Each wireless device 110 may be fixed or mobile.

[0030] The wireless devices 110 can be covered by more than one AP 105 and thus can be associated with one or more APs 105 at different times. A single AP 105 and the associated set of stations can be referred to as a basic service set (BSS). An extended service set (ESS) is a collection of connected BSSs. A distributed system (DS) is used to connect the APs 105 in an extended service set. The geographic coverage area 125 of the access point 105 can be divided into sectors that form part of that coverage area. The WLAN network 100 may include different types of access points 105 (e.g., metropolitan area networks, home networks, etc.) that have different sizes of coverage areas and overlapping coverage areas for different technologies. In other examples, other wireless devices can communicate with the AP 105.

[0031] While wireless devices 110 can communicate with each other via communication link 115 through AP 105, each wireless device 110 can also communicate directly with one or more other wireless devices 110 via direct wireless link 120. Two or more wireless devices 110 can communicate via direct wireless link 120 when both wireless devices 110 are within the AP geographic coverage area 125, or when one or both wireless devices 110 are not within the AP geographic coverage area 125. Examples of direct wireless link 120 can include WiFi direct connections, connections established through the use of WiFi tunnel direct link setup (TDLS) links, 5G-NR side links, PC5, UWB, Bluetooth, and other P2P group connections. The wireless devices 110 in these examples can communicate according to WLAN radio and baseband protocols that include the physical layer and MAC layer from IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.15 and their various versions. For example, one or more of the wireless devices 110 and AP 105 can be configured to utilize WiFi, Bluetooth, and / or UWB signals for communication and / or positioning applications.

[0032] Also refer to Figure 2, UE 200 is an example of a wireless device 110 and includes a computing platform that includes a processor 210, a memory 211 that includes software (SW) 212, one or more sensors 213, a transceiver interface 214 for a transceiver 215 (including one or more wireless transceivers, such as a first wireless transceiver 240a, a second wireless transceiver 240b, and an optional wired transceiver 250), a user interface 216, a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver 217, a camera 218, and a location (motion) device 219. The processor 210, the memory 211, the (one or more) sensors 213, the transceiver interface 214, the user interface 216, the SPS receiver 217, the camera 218, and the location (motion) device 219 may be communicatively coupled to each other via a bus 220 (which may be configured for optical and / or electrical communication, for example). One or more of the illustrated devices may be omitted from the UE 200 (e.g., one or more of the camera 218, the location (motion) device 219, and / or the (one or more) sensors 213, etc.). The processor 210 may include one or more hardware devices, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc. The processor 210 may include multiple processors, and the multiple processors include a general-purpose / application processor 230, a digital signal processor (DSP) 231, a modem processor 232, a video processor 233, and / or a sensor processor 234. One or more of the processors 230-234 may include multiple devices (e.g., multiple processors). For example, the sensor processor 234 may include processors for radio frequency (RF) sensing and ultrasound, for example. The modem processor 232 may support dual SIM / dual connectivity (or even more SIMs). For example, a SIM (subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module) may be used by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and another SIM may be used by an end user of the UE 200 for connectivity. The memory 211 is a non-transitory storage medium and may include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk memory, and / or read-only memory (ROM), etc. The memory 211 stores software (which may also include firmware) 212, and the software 212 may be processor-readable, processor-executable software code that includes instructions configured to cause the processor 210 to perform the various functions described herein when executed. Alternatively, the software 212 may not be directly executed by the processor 210 but may be configured to cause the processor 210 (e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform the functions. This description may refer to the processor 210 performing functions, but this includes other implementations, such as where the processor 210 executes software and / or firmware. This description may refer to the processor 210 that performs the functions as a shorthand for one or more of the processors 230-234 that perform the functions.This description may refer to the UE 200 performing a function as a shorthand for one or more appropriate components of the UE 200 that perform that function. In addition to and / or instead of the memory 211, the processor 210 may include a memory with stored instructions. The functions of the processor 210 are discussed more fully below.

[0033] Figure 2 The configuration of the UE 200 shown is an example and not a limitation of the present disclosure (including the claims), and other configurations may be used. For example, example configurations of the UE include one or more of the processors 230 - 234 of the processor 210, the memory 211, and the wireless transceivers 240a - b. Other example configurations include one or more of the processors 230 to 234 of the processor 210, the memory 211, the wireless transceivers 240a - b, and one or more of the (multiple) sensors 213, user interface 216, SPS receiver 217, camera 218, PMD 219, and / or wired transceiver 250. Other configurations may not include all components of the UE 200. For example, an IoT device may include more wireless transceivers 240a - b, memory 211, and a general - purpose processor 230. A multi - link device may simultaneously utilize the first wireless transceiver 240a on a first link using a first frequency band and the second wireless transceiver 240b on a second link using a second frequency band. Additional transceivers may also be used for additional links and frequency bands and radio access technologies.

[0034] The UE 200 may include a modem processor 232, which may be capable of performing baseband processing of signals received and down - converted by the transceiver 215 and / or the SPS receiver 217. The modem processor 232 may perform baseband processing of signals to be up - converted for transmission by the transceiver 215. Additionally or alternatively, the baseband processing may be performed by the general - purpose processor 230 and / or the DSP 231. However, other configurations may be used to perform the baseband processing.

[0035] The UE 200 may include one or more sensors 213, which may include, for example, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) 270, one or more magnetometers 271, and / or one or more environmental sensors 272. The IMU 270 may include one or more inertial sensors, such as one or more accelerometers 273 (e.g., jointly responsive to the acceleration of the UE 200 in three dimensions) and / or one or more gyroscopes 274. The one or more magnetometers may provide measurements to determine an orientation (e.g., relative to magnetic north and / or true north) that can be used for any of a variety of purposes, such as to support one or more compass applications. The one or more environmental sensors 272 may include, for example, one or more temperature sensors, one or more barometric pressure sensors, one or more ambient light sensors, one or more camera imagers, and / or one or more microphones, etc. The one or more sensors 213 may generate analog and / or digital signals that may be stored in the memory 211 and processed by the DSP 231 and / or the general-purpose processor 230 to support one or more applications, such as applications for positioning and / or navigation operations, for example.

[0036] The one or more sensors 213 may be used for relative position measurement, relative position determination, motion determination, etc. The information detected by the one or more sensors 213 may be used for motion detection, relative displacement, dead reckoning, sensor-based position determination, and / or sensor-assisted position determination. The one or more sensors 213 may be used to determine whether the UE 200 is stationary (immobile) or moving. In another example, for relative positioning information, the sensors / IMU can be used to determine the angle and / or orientation of another device relative to the UE 200, etc.

[0037] The IMU 270 may be configured to provide measurements of the direction of motion and / or the speed of motion of the UE 200, which may be used for relative position determination. For example, one or more of the accelerometers 273 and / or one or more of the gyroscopes 274 of the IMU 270 may detect the linear acceleration and rotational speed of the UE 200, respectively. The linear acceleration and rotational speed measurements of the UE 200 may be integrated over time to determine the instantaneous direction of motion and the displacement of the UE 200. The instantaneous direction of motion and displacement may be integrated to track the position of the UE 200. For example, a reference position of the UE 200 may be determined at a certain moment, for example, using the SPS receiver 217 (and / or through some other component), and the measurements from the one or more accelerometers 273 and the one or more gyroscopes 274 made after this moment may be used for dead reckoning to determine the current position of the UE 200 based on the movement (direction and distance) of the UE 200 relative to the reference position.

[0038] One or more magnetometers 271 may determine magnetic field strength in different directions, which may be used to determine the orientation of UE 200. For example, the orientation may be used to provide a digital compass for UE 200. One or more magnetometers 271 may include a two-dimensional magnetometer configured to detect and provide an indication of magnetic field strength in two orthogonal dimensions. Additionally or alternatively, one or more magnetometers 271 may include a three-dimensional magnetometer configured to detect and provide an indication of magnetic field strength in three orthogonal dimensions. One or more magnetometers 271 may provide components for sensing a magnetic field and providing an indication of the magnetic field to, for example, processor 210.

[0039] Transceiver 215 may include wireless transceivers 240a-b and a wired transceiver 250 configured to communicate with other devices via a wireless connection and a wired connection, respectively. In an example, each of wireless transceivers 240a-b may include a respective transmitter 242a-b and a receiver 244a-b coupled to one or more respective antennas 246a-b for transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals 248a-b and converting signals from wireless signals 248a-b to wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals and converting signals from wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals to wireless signals 248a-b. Thus, transmitters 242a-b may be the same transmitter or may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or receivers 244a-b may be the same receiver or may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. Wireless transceivers 240a-b may be configured to transmit signals (e.g., to an access point and / or one or more other devices) according to various radio access technologies (RATs) such as 5G New Radio (NR), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), WCDMA (Wideband CDMA), LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE Direct (LTE-D), 3GPP LTE-V2X (PC5), IEEE 802.11 (including IEEE802.11ax and 802.11be), WiFi, WiFi Direct (WiFi-D), Bluetooth®, IEEE 802.15 (UWB), Zigbee, etc. Wired transceiver 250 may include a transmitter 252 and a receiver 254 configured for wired communication. Transmitter 252 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or receiver 254 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. Wired transceiver 250 may be configured for, for example, optical communication and / or electrical communication. Transceiver 215 may be communicatively coupled to transceiver interface 214, for example, via an optical and / or electrical connection. Transceiver interface 214 may be at least partially integrated with transceiver 215.

[0040] The user interface 216 may include one or more of several devices, such as, for example, a speaker, a microphone, a display device, a vibration device, a keyboard, a touch screen, etc. The user interface 216 may include more than one of any of these devices. The user interface 216 may be configured to enable a user to interact with one or more applications hosted by the UE 200. For example, the user interface 216 may store indications of analog and / or digital signals in the memory 211 to be processed by the DSP 231 and / or the general-purpose processor 230 in response to an action from the user. Similarly, an application hosted on the UE 200 may store indications of analog and / or digital signals in the memory 211 to present an output signal to the user. The user interface 216 may include audio input / output (I / O) devices, which include, for example, a speaker, a microphone, a digital-to-analog circuit, an analog-to-digital circuit, an amplifier, and / or a gain control circuit (including more than one of any of these devices). Other configurations of the audio I / O devices may be used. Additionally or alternatively, the user interface 216 may include one or more touch sensors responsive to, for example, touch and / or pressure on the keyboard and / or touch screen of the user interface 216. In an example, the user interface 216 may include one or more biometric sensors configured to obtain biometric information from the user. For example, the biometric sensors may include a fingerprint capture device, a microphone (for voice input), a camera 218 (e.g., for face recognition, iris detection), a display (e.g., for finger touch swipe recognition), or other such sensors. The IMU 270 may be configured to obtain motion data to determine biometric information, such as the user's gait or step length. Other sensors in the UE 200 may also be used to obtain biometric information from the user.

[0041] The SPS receiver 217 (e.g., a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver) may be capable of receiving and acquiring SPS signals 260 via the SPS antenna 262. The antenna 262 is configured to convert the SPS signals 260 into a wired signal, e.g., an electrical signal or an optical signal, and may be integrated with one or more of the antennas 246a - b. The SPS receiver 217 may be configured to process all or part of the acquired SPS signals 260 for estimating the location of the UE 200. For example, the SPS receiver 217 may be configured to use the SPS signals 260 to determine the location of the UE 200 by trilateration. The general - purpose processor 230, the memory 211, the DSP 231, and / or one or more dedicated processors (not shown) may be used to process the acquired SPS signals in whole or in part, and / or to compute the estimated location of the UE 200 in conjunction with the SPS receiver 217. The memory 211 may store indications (e.g., measurements) of the SPS signals 260 and / or other signals (e.g., signals acquired from the wireless transceivers 240a - b) for performing location operations. The general - purpose processor 230, the DSP 231, and / or one or more dedicated processors and / or the memory 211 may provide or support a location engine for processing the measurements to estimate the location of the UE 200.

[0042] The UE 200 may include a camera 218 for capturing still or moving images. The camera 218 may include, for example, an imaging sensor (e.g., a charge - coupled device or a CMOS imager), a lens, analog - to - digital circuitry, a frame buffer, etc. Additional processing, conditioning, encoding, and / or compression of the signals representing the captured images may be performed by the general - purpose processor 230 and / or the DSP 231. Additionally or alternatively, the video processor 233 may perform conditioning, encoding, compression, and / or manipulation of the signals representing the captured images. The video processor 233 may decode / decompress the stored image data for presentation on a display device (not shown), e.g., the user interface 216.

[0043] A Position (Motion) Device (PMD) 219 may be configured to determine the location and possible motion of a UE 200. For example, the PMD 219 may communicate with an SPS receiver 217 and / or include some or all of the SPS receiver 217. The PMD 219 may also or alternatively be configured to use terrestrial-based signals (e.g., at least some of the wireless signals 248a - b) to determine the location of the UE 200 for trilateration or multilateration, to assist in obtaining and using SPS signals 260, or both. The PMD 219 may be configured to use one or more other techniques (e.g., relying on self-reported location of the UE (e.g., part of a location beacon of the UE)) to determine the location of the UE 200, and may use a combination of techniques (e.g., SPS and terrestrial positioning signals) to determine the location of the UE 200. The PMD 219 may include one or more of sensors 213 (e.g., one or more gyroscopes, one or more accelerometers, one or more magnetometers, etc.), which may sense the orientation and / or motion of the UE 200 and provide an indication thereof, and a processor 210 (e.g., a general-purpose processor 230 and / or a DSP 231) may be configured to use the indication to determine the motion of the UE 200 (e.g., a velocity vector and / or an acceleration vector). The PMD 219 may be configured to provide an indication of the uncertainty and / or error of the determined location and / or motion. In an example, the PMD 219 may be referred to as a Positioning Engine (PE) and may be executed by a general-purpose processor 230. For example, the PMD 219 may be a logical entity and may be integrated with the general-purpose processor 230 and the memory 211.

[0044] Also refer to Figure 3A , examples of access points (APs) 300 (such as AP 105) include computing platforms that include a processor 310, a memory 311 that includes software (SW) 312, a transceiver 315, and (optionally) an SPS receiver 317. The processor 310, the memory 311, the transceiver 315, and the SPS receiver 317 may be communicatively coupled to each other via a bus 320 (which may be configured for, e.g., optical and / or electrical communication). One or more of the illustrated devices (e.g., a wireless interface and / or the SPS receiver 317) may be omitted from the AP 300. The SPS receiver 317 may be configured similarly to the SPS receiver 217 to be able to receive and acquire SPS signals 360 via an SPS antenna 362. The processor 310 may include one or more intelligent hardware devices, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc. The processor 310 may include multiple processors (e.g., including as Figure 2The general / application processor, DSP, modem processor, video processor, and / or sensor processor shown). Memory 311 is a non-transitory storage medium, which may include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk memory, and / or read-only memory (ROM), etc. Memory 311 stores software 312, which may be processor-readable and processor-executable software code containing instructions configured to cause processor 310 to perform various functions described herein when executed. Alternatively, software 312 may not be directly executed by processor 310, but may be configured to (e.g., when compiled and executed) cause processor 310 to perform these functions. This description may refer to processor 310 performing functions, but this includes other implementations, such as where processor 310 executes software and / or firmware. This description may refer to processor 310 performing a function as a shorthand for one or more processors included in processor 310 that perform the function. In addition to and / or instead of memory 311, processor 310 may include a memory with stored instructions. The functions of processor 310 are discussed more fully below.

[0045] Transceiver 315 may include a wireless transceiver 340 and a wired transceiver 350, which are configured to communicate with other devices via a wireless connection and a wired connection, respectively. For example, wireless transceiver 340 may include a transmitter 342 and a receiver 344 coupled to one or more antennas 346 for transmitting and / or (e.g., on one or more uplink channels) receiving wireless signals 348 and converting the signals from wireless signal 348 to wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals and converting the signals from wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals to wireless signal 348. Thus, transmitter 342 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or receiver 344 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. Wireless transceiver 340 may be configured to transmit signals (e.g., to UE 200, one or more other UEs, and / or one or more other devices) according to various radio access technologies (RATs) such as IEEE 802.11 (including IEEE 802.11ax and 802.11be), WiFi, WiFi Direct (WiFi-D), Bluetooth®, IEEE 802.15 (UWB), Zigbee, etc. Wired transceiver 350 may include a transmitter 352 and a receiver 354 configured for wired communication. Transmitter 352 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or receiver 354 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. Wired transceiver 350 may be configured for, e.g., optical communication and / or electrical communication.

[0046] Also refer to Figure 3B , an example of a UWB device 380, such as an asset tag, a key card, a TV remote control, a security system (e.g., vehicle, commercial, etc.), or other devices configured to transmit and receive UWB RF transmissions. The UWB device includes a computing platform that includes a processor 381, a memory 382 that includes software (SW) 383, a wireless transceiver 385, and (optionally) an SPS receiver 387. The SPS receiver 387 can be configured similarly to the SPS receiver 217 to be able to receive and acquire the SPS signal 360 via the SPS antenna 388. The processor 381 can include one or more intelligent hardware devices, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc. The processor 381 can include multiple processors (e.g., including a general-purpose / application processor, a DSP, a modem processor, a video processor, and / or a sensor processor as shown in Figure 2 . The memory 382 is a non-transitory storage medium, which can include random access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk memory, and / or read-only memory (ROM), etc. The memory 382 stores software 383, which can be processor-readable, processor-executable software code containing instructions that are configured to cause the processor 381 to perform the various functions described herein when executed. Alternatively, the software 383 may not be directly executed by the processor 381, but may be configured to (e.g., when compiled and executed) cause the processor 381 to perform these functions. This description may refer to the processor 381 performing functions, but this includes other implementations, such as where the processor 381 executes software and / or firmware. This description may refer to the processor 381 that performs the functions as a shorthand for one or more processors included in the processor 381 that perform the functions. In addition to and / or instead of the memory 382, the processor 381 may include a memory with stored instructions. The functions of the processor 381 are discussed more fully below.

[0047] The wireless transceiver 385 is configured to communicate with other devices via a wireless connection using the UWB protocol. For example, the wireless transceiver 385 may include a transmitter 392 and a receiver 394 coupled to one or more antennas 396 for transmitting and / or (e.g., on one or more uplink channels) receiving UWB wireless signals 398 and converting signals from the UWB wireless signals 398 into wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals and converting signals from the wired (e.g., electrical and / or optical) signals into UWB wireless signals 398. In an example, the wireless transceiver 385 may include multiple transmitters that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components, and / or the receiver 394 may include multiple receivers that may be discrete components or combined / integrated components. In an example, the wireless transceiver 385 may be configured to transmit signals according to various radio access technologies (RATs) other than UWB technology. For example, the wireless transceiver 385 may also be configured to utilize RATs such as IEEE 802.11 (including IEEE 802.11ax / az and 802.11be), WiFi, WiFi Direct (WiFi-D), Bluetooth®, IEEE 802.15 (UWB), Zigbee, etc.

[0048] Reference Figure 4 , a block diagram of an example communication module 402 having multiple transceivers is shown. The communication module 402 may be used as a transceiver in a mobile device (such as the transceiver 215 in the UE 200), a transceiver in an access point (such as the transceiver 315 in the AP 300), or other RF devices (such as the transceiver 385 in the UWB device 380). In an example, in a V2X network, the communication module may be included in a roadside unit (RSU). The communication module 402 may be communicatively coupled to a processor 404, such as a general-purpose processor 230 and / or a modem processor 232. One or more RF modules, such as a UWB module 406, a BLE module 408, and a WiFi module 410, may be communicatively coupled to multiple antennas 414a-n via one or more multiplexers 412. The multiplexer 412 may include switches, phase shifters, and tuning circuits configured to enable one or more of the RF modules 406, 408, 410 to transmit and receive signals via one or more of the antennas 414a-n. For example, the WiFi module 410 and the UWB module 406 may be configured to utilize one or more of the antennas 414a-n based on the operating frequency. Phase shifters and other components (e.g., Butler matrix) within the multiplexer 412 may implement beamforming to increase the transmit or receive gain at boresight angles different from the positions of the antennas 414a-n.

[0049] Reference Figure 5A andFigure 5B illustrates an example message flow diagram for an Enhanced Range Device (ERDEV). Two devices, such as UE 200 and UWB device 380, can be configured to exchange messages to determine the range (e.g., distance) between each other. In an example automotive use case, UE 200 can be a smart phone and be configured to perform the role of the controlling party 502, and the UWB device 380 can be in the vehicle and be configured to perform the role of the controlled party 504. In the example, UE 200 can be configured to unlock and start the vehicle when within a specified range of the vehicle, and, Figure 5A and Figure 5B the message flow diagrams in can be used to determine the range between the vehicle and the UE. As the controlling party 502, UE 200 can establish the parameters of a UWB ranging session and provide session information to the controlled party 504 via one or more Ranging Control Messages (RCMs) 506. The RCM 506 can include ranging parameters, such as channel information, ranging block, and time slot configuration, to enable stations to perform time scheduling or contention-free UWB ranging sessions. In the example, biometrics associated with the user of the UE can be included in the RCM 506. The controlled party 504 can be configured to utilize the ranging parameters received from the controlling party 502 in the RCM 506. In the example, the controlling party 502 and the controlled party 504 can exchange RCM 506 to negotiate session parameters. The concepts of the controlling party 502 and the controlled party 504 are based on an upper-layer networking perspective, and the roles of the initiator and the responder can be used at the physical layer and the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. Using the ranging parameters included in the RCM 506, the initiators 508a, 508b are configured to initiate a ranging exchange by sending an exchanged first message, such as a Ranging Initiation Message (RIM) 512a, 512b. As Figure 5A and Figure 5B shown, the controlling party 502 or the controlled party 504 can assume the corresponding roles of the initiators 508a, 508b. Similarly, the controlling party 502 and the controlled party 504 can be configured as the corresponding responders 510a, 510b and can respond to the corresponding RIM 512a, 512b with Ranging Response Messages (RRMs) 514a, 514b. Generally, UWB ranging is designed to have a relatively low-complexity data structure to enable ranging between relatively low-cost devices (e.g., low-complexity devices). The ranging session can be Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)-based, where the ranging block is the primary unit.

[0050] Refer to Figure 6 and further refer to Figure 5A and Figure 5B, a diagram showing an example ranging block 600 for use in a UWB ranging session. A UWB ranging session between two devices (e.g., UE 200 and UWB device 380) may include consecutive ranging blocks 600. Each ranging block 600 includes a ranging round 602 composed of ranging time slots 604. Within a ranging block 600, responders 510a, 510b may send messages within a single ranging round 602 (e.g., round #2). The round index may be statically configured by the controller 502 or selected based on a frequency hopping pattern configured by the controller 502. The time slots 604 within the selected ranging round 602 may be used in sequence to perform ranging exchanges and / or determine TDOA measurements. Each ranging round 602 (e.g., round #2) may include a single ranging control time slot 606, followed by a ranging phase time slot 608 and a measurement report time slot 610. The ranging round 602 and the ranging time slot 604 may have fixed durations as established in the RCM 506. In an example, different ranging rounds 602 in sequential ranging blocks 600 may be used to reduce interference caused by UWB ranging sessions between other neighboring stations. In an example, the duration of a ranging block 600 may be approximately 250 milliseconds (ms), and the duration of a ranging round 602 may be approximately 10 ms. The default ranging time slot 604 duration is approximately 1 ms. Other block, round, and time slot durations may also be used. The duration of the ranging time slot 604 may vary based on the configuration of the ranging packet. In an example, the duration of a ranging packet without a physical layer payload (e.g., STS packet configuration three) may be approximately 150 microseconds (μs). Generally, there is one ranging packet per ranging time slot 604, and multiple ranging packets may be exchanged between the initiator and the responder in the corresponding ranging phase time slot 608.

[0051] Reference Figure 7, shows an example physical protocol data unit (PPDU) frame 700 that incorporates a synchronization preamble for ranging. A UWB ranging session can utilize the packet format based on PPDU frame 700. PPDU frame 700 is an example and not a limitation, as other data structures can also include a synchronization preamble for ranging. To reduce the chance of external attacks, a secure ranging protocol can use the AES-128 encryption algorithm to encrypt the physical layer (PHY) timestamp sequence. PPDU frame 700 can include a synchronization header (SHR) 702, which includes a synchronization (SYNC) field 704 and a start-of-frame delimiter (SFD) 706. The SYNC field 704 (also referred to as a preamble sequence) includes a predetermined sequence (such as the Ipatov ternary sequence) configured to improve autocorrelation properties. The SYNC field 704 (i.e., the preamble sequence) may be vulnerable to in-air attacks because an attacker may expect that a known sequence is being utilized. An encrypted sequence (such as a scrambled timestamp sequence (STS) 708) can be used to increase the integrity and accuracy of the ranging measurement. STS 708 can include a pseudorandomized pulse sequence generated using a deterministic random bit generator (DRBG) based on the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), as depicted in FIG. 10. The SFD 706 is configured to help distinguish the SYNC field 704 from the STS 708. The STS 708 can be encrypted using the AES-128 algorithm, and the ToA estimate can be based on decoding the STS 708. In an example, if the received STS 708 can be cross-correlated with a locally generated reference, the distance measurement can be verified. The receiving station can be configured to locally generate a secure sequence based on the same key information used by the transmitting station to generate the STS 708. For example, the STS key and the V value utilized in the AES algorithm can be provided to the receiving station via an out-of-band transmission, and both the transmitting station and the receiving station can be configured to generate the STS 708. PPDU frame 700 is an example of STS packet configuration three and does not include a data payload. In an example, other STS packet configurations (e.g., zero, one, and two) can also be used for the UWB ranging session.

[0052] Reference Figure 8A, FIG. 800 shows an example signal exchange for UWB ranging. FIG. 800 includes a first UWB device 802 (e.g., a smart phone) and a second UWB device 804 (e.g., a vehicle). The UWB devices 802, 804 may include some or all components of the UE 200 and / or the UWB device 380. The UE 200 is an example of the first UWB device, and the UWB device 380 is an example of the second UWB device 804. Each of the UWB devices 802, 804 includes one or more transceivers configured to transmit and receive UWB signals, such as those depicted in the communication module 402. The signal exchange may be based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard and may utilize the physical layer (PHY) and the media access control (MAC) sublayer to enable secure ranging. The positioning exchange may also utilize IEEE 802.15.4z security features (such as STS 708) in the UWB ranging frame to prevent preamble insertion attacks. In a first example, the UWB signal includes a one-sided two-way ranging exchange 808 such that the first UWB device 802 transmits a ranging tag at time t1, which is received by the second UWB device 804 at time t2. The second UWB device 804 may transmit an acknowledgement frame at time t3, which is received by the first UWB device at time t4. The first round-trip time (Tround1) is equal to t4 - t1, and the first reply time (Treply1) is equal to t3 - t1. The second UWB device 804 may be configured to provide the Treply1 time to the first UWB device 802. The first UWB device 802 may calculate the first round-trip propagation time:

[0053] Tprop1 = Tround1 - Treply1 (1)

[0054] The distance between the first UWB device 802 and the second UWB device 804 is equal to:

[0055] distance = c * (Tprop1 / 2) (2)

[0056] where c = the speed of light.

[0057] In a second example, the signal includes a two-sided two-way ranging exchange 810 such that the first UWB device 802 will also transmit an acknowledgement at time t5, which is received by the second UWB device 804 at time t6. The first UWB device 802 may provide the second reply time (Treply2) (i.e., t5 - t4) to the second UWB device 804. The Tprop time may be calculated as:

[0058] Tprop = ((Tround1 * Tround2) - (Treply1 * Treply2)) / (Tround1 +Tround2 - Treply1 - Treply2) (3)

[0059] The propagation time (i.e., Tprop) represents the time of flight (ToF) of the corresponding signal between UWB devices 802 and 804, and can be used to determine the distance between UWB devices 802 and 804. In operation, the UWB device can be configured to determine distances up to 100 m with an accuracy of approximately + / - 10 cm.

[0060] Reference Figure 8B , FIG. 850 shows an example angle of arrival of a UWB signal. FIG. 850 includes a UWB device 852 (e.g., the first UWB device 802 or the second UWB device 804) having a plurality of antennas 854a, 854b in an antenna array. The UWB signal 856 is detected by the antenna array at an angle of arrival (AoA) Φ. Generally, the AoA is based on the time difference between the arrival of the UWB signal 856 at each antenna 854a, 854b in the antenna array. The time delay between signal arrivals can be determined as:

[0061] t = d * sin Φ / c (4)

[0062] where

[0063] t is the time delay;

[0064] d is the distance between the antennas;

[0065] Φ is the AoA; and

[0066] c is the speed of light.

[0067] In operation, the UWB device can be configured to determine the AoA with an accuracy of approximately + / - 1.5 degrees. Other radio technologies and transceiver / antenna configurations can achieve different accuracy results.

[0068] Reference Figure 9, a message flow diagram 900 of an example ranging session in WiFi is shown. Diagram 900 includes an initiating station 902 and a responding station 904 configured to exchange ranging messages. Each of stations 902, 904 may include some or all components of UE 200 and AP 300, and UE 200 and AP 300 are examples of either or both of stations 902, 904. In a use case, the initiating station 902 is a UE, a key card, an IOT device, etc., and the responding station 904 is AP 300. The signal exchange in diagram 900 may conform to an industry standard such as IEEE 802.11ax / az. In a non-triggered ranging session, a station may use Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA / CA) to initiate the session. Stations 902, 904 may send and receive ranging frames, such as Null Data Packets (NDPs) including a preamble and physical layer information (e.g., header, payload). After the NDP announcement frame is successfully sent, a station may send a subsequent NDP within the Shortest Inter-Frame Space (SIFS) to reserve the channel. In an example, the biometric information and other security sequences described herein may be included in the physical layer payload.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 10, a block diagram of a process 1000 for generating a pseudorandom number based on the AES standard is shown. The resulting pseudorandom number may be used as an STS for ranging as described in the IEEE 802.15.4z standard. Process 1000 utilizes a block size of 128 bits, but other sizes (e.g., 192, 256 bits) may also be used. The STS consists of a pseudorandomized pulse sequence generated by a Deterministic Random Bit Generator (DRBG) in counter mode based on AES-128, such as process 1000. Each time the DRBG runs, it generates a 128-bit pseudorandom number for the STS. Process 1000 provides a 128-bit value V 1002 and a 128-bit key 1004 to the AES-128 algorithm 1008. The value V 1002 may include a high 96-bit 1002a and a 32-bit counter 1002b, which may be incremented once per 128-bit output at stage 1006. The output of the AES-128 algorithm 1008 is a 128-bit pseudorandom number 1010 for forming the STS. In operation, a transmitting station and a receiving station may receive the V value and the key value (including counter configuration) via a security component, and each station may generate the same 128-bit pseudorandom number 1010 based on these inputs. The receiving station may correlate the locally generated STS with the STS received from the transmitting station.

[0070] Referring Figure 11, which shows FIG. 1100 for an example signal exchange for ranging using biometric information. Generally, many mobile devices such as smart phones and other UWB-capable devices are also able to obtain biometric information associated with a user (e.g., fingerprint, facial features, voice, etc.). As described in the use cases herein, such biometric information can be used to enhance security during a ranging session, to improve situational awareness, and to increase location accuracy and classification schemes. Although the use cases presented herein utilize UWB technology, the concepts can also be extended to other wireless technologies such as WiFi or NR-Sidelink (NR side link). The use case in FIG. 1100 is directed to an access control process for unlocking and accessing a vehicle (or other restricted area). In the example, the UWB ranging process can include a UE 1102 (e.g., a smart phone) as the controlling party 502 and a vehicle 1104 as the controlled party 504. The vehicle 1104 can include an in-vehicle control system 1104a, which includes some or all components of an access point 300 and / or a UWB device 380.

[0071] In existing systems, a malicious user can simply obtain and then use an authentication device (e.g., a digital key) to access a vehicle. In the technology provided herein, a biometric signature of an authenticated user can also be requested to enhance security. The biometric signature can be based on biometric information 1102a obtained by one or more sensors in UE 1102 and stored in local memory (e.g., memory 211). The biometric information 1102a can include biometric data available on UE 1102 (e.g., fingerprint, face, iris, etc.) or other behavioral data (e.g., keystroke dynamics, gait, signature, voice, etc.). The biometric information 1102a can be provided via out-of-band (OOB) communication and / or included in the (multiple) payloads of one or more ranging messages sent from the user's device. The biometric information 1102a can be provided together with other cryptographic information (such as the V value and key value described in FIG. 10) during session establishment. In an example, during the session establishment process, one or more control phase messages 1106 can be exchanged between UE 1102 and vehicle 1104. In a UWB session, the control phase message 1106 can be configured via OOB communication (such as Bluetooth). The controller (e.g., UE 1102) and the controlled party (e.g., vehicle 1104) can exchange authentication information, which can in turn be used by an authentication system (e.g., vehicle on-board control system 1104a) to verify a certificate. In an example, the biometric information 1102a can be used as a certificate (or a part thereof) to authenticate the UWB session. UE 1102 and vehicle 1104 can exchange ranging packets (e.g., PPDU frames) as ranging phase messages 1108. In an example, one or more packets can be exchanged during the ranging phase message 1108. For example, the PPDU frame can include a data payload element, and the biometric information 1102a can be included as the payload. Including the biometric information 1102a in the control phase message 1106 and / or the ranging phase message 1108 can provide additional security because even if a malicious user gains access to the digital key, the malicious user will not be able to obtain the biometric data. Authentication using the biometric information 1102a can be enabled via an application at an upper layer, while the underlying ranging / location can employ other wireless technologies.

[0072] Reference Figure 12, FIG. 1200 shows an example access point use case including a biometric sensor and a ranging signal. The use case in FIG. 1200 obtains biometric information at an access point, such as a door of a building or a vehicle. The access point may include one or more biometric sensors, such as a fingerprint scanner, an optical scanner (e.g., a camera), and / or a microphone, etc. For example, in a secure building use case, user 1202 may enter a building 1204 having a secure access point, such as door 1204a, which is configured to open when user 1202 provides biometric authentication. One or more biometric sensors 1206 may be configured to receive biometric input, such as voice input 1208 from user 1202. When user 1202 provides biometric input (e.g., voice input 1208), biometric sensor 1206 or one or more neighboring wireless devices 1218a, 1218b may be configured to perform ranging exchanges 1210, 1220a, 1220b with UE 1202a associated with user 1202. Biometric sensor 1206 and other wireless devices 1218a, 1218b may be communicatively coupled to controller 1212 and configured to provide biometric information and distance measurements to controller 1212. Controller 1212 may include some or all of the components of access point 300, and access point 300 is an example of controller 1212. In an example, controller 1212 may be a server or other computing platform including a processor, a memory, and associated peripheral devices. Controller 1212 may include or be communicatively coupled to a data structure 1214, such as a database including one or more tables 1216 to store access event information. Data structure 1214 may include a relational database application (e.g., Oracle, SQL, dBase, etc.), a flat file (e.g., JSON, XML, CVS), a binary file, or other file structures configured to hold and index information associated with access events. Data structure 1214 may include other instructions, such as stored procedures configured to query, update, append, and index one or more tables 1216. One or more tables 1216 may include data fields based on biometric information and ranging signals obtained at the access point (e.g., biometric sensor 1206 near door 1204a). For example, the UE ID field may include information for identifying UE 1202a associated with user 1202. The BioInfo field may include extracted features of the biometric information obtained by biometric sensor 1206 (e.g., fingerprint, voice input 1208, iris information, etc.). The UERange and UEAoA fields may include measurements based on ranging exchange 1210. Other fields associated with the ranging exchange between UE 1202a and other wireless devices 1218a, 1218b may also be included in one or more tables 1216.The ChanEst field may include parameters associated with the RF channels used for the ranging exchange(s). The AccessTimeDate field may include time information associated with obtaining the biometric input from the user 1202. The SensorID field may include parameters associated with the biometric sensor 1206 that obtained the biometric input. The SessionID field may be unique identification information, such as the MAC address of the device, or another parameter exchanged by an application at an upper layer to associate ranging sessions. These fields are examples and not limitations, as other fields and tables may be used to store information associated with access point events.

[0073] In operation, the controller 1212 may be configured to obtain and store parameters associated with access events (e.g., based on one or more tables 1216). Over time, the controller 1212 may be configured to determine the correlation between the biometric information obtained by the biometric sensor 1206 and the ranging information determined when the biometric information was obtained. In an example, a unique mapping may be formed between such a ranging session and the biometric information. Based on this unique mapping, the controller 1212 may enable future access for the user 1202 based on the ranging session without obtaining biometric input. For example, in a use case, the user 1202 may use UWB ranging to gain access through the door 1204a. Initially, the controller 1212 may require biometric information (e.g., voice input 1208) to enable access. Over time, a unique mapping is established between the ranging session and the biometric signature. Once the mapping is formed, the user 1202 will not need to provide biometric information, and the controller 1212 may be configured to authorize access based on UWB ranging measurements.

[0074] In an example, Figure 12 the mapping use case may be associated with as Figure 11The exchange combination of biometric information described in. User 1202 may provide biometric input (e.g., voice input 1208) at an access point (e.g., to biometric sensor 1206), and ranging exchange 1210 may include biometric information in control phase message 1106 and / or ranging phase message 1108. For example, biometric input associated with user 1202 stored in UE 1202a (e.g., fingerprint scan received by UE 1202a, gait information calculated by UE 1202a, finger swipe recognition obtained by UE 1202a, etc.) may be provided during ranging exchange 1210 and stored in data structure 1214 for inclusion in the map. The biometric information stored on the UE may be evaluated based on the time of input to UE 1202a to exclude stale information (e.g., inputs older than 1, 5, 10, 30, 60 minutes, etc.). In operation, user 1202 may be authorized to access based on the biometric information obtained by UE 1202a and provided to controller 1212 during ranging exchange 1210 without the user 1202 providing biometric input to biometric sensor 1206.

[0075] In an example, since user 1202 will be close to biometric sensor 1206 when providing biometric input, ranging measurements obtained by wireless devices (e.g., biometric sensor 1206 and wireless devices 1218a, 1218b) can be acquired and associated with a precise access point. The ranging measurements can include channel estimation, time-of-arrival (ToA) and angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation, and other signals for positioning UE 1202a. Comparing a location estimate obtained from saved ranging measurements (e.g., as saved in data structure 1214) with a ground truth (i.e., when the door is accessed) can assist in determining the error in the original location estimate. In a vehicle use case, a single vehicle can have multiple responder devices set at various locations around the vehicle. A location estimate of a nearby user / UE can be determined based on ranging exchanges with the responder devices. A controller in the vehicle (e.g., a positioning engine) can be configured to improve future location estimates based on measurements when a user provides biometric input at a known location on the vehicle (e.g., a palmprint on a car door, etc.). Machine learning techniques or other statistical or filtering (e.g., Kalman filter) methods can be used to improve future estimates based on ranging estimates. The vehicle controller can be configured to use the improved location estimate to predict which door of the vehicle a user is likely to access as the user approaches (e.g., based on machine learning classification). A controller in a vehicle or other structure can be configured to obtain and store measurements based on ranging exchanges and ground truth information (i.e., obtained from the point where biometric information is acquired), and improve future location estimates or perform classification to preemptively determine an entry point (e.g., the location of a vehicle or building that a user is most likely to approach).

[0076] In an example, controller 1212, biometric sensor 1206, or other wireless devices 1218a, 1218b can be configured to provide biometric information received from user 1202 back to the user's mobile device (e.g., UE 1202a) via a wireless signal. The biometric information on the mobile device can be used to improve the situational awareness of subsequent processes. For example, in a vehicle use case, after the vehicle has been unlocked based on receiving the user's biometric data (from a biometric sensor on the vehicle), the biometric information can be used to determine whether the user is entering the driver's seat or another seat. Additional actions can be triggered based on this knowledge, such as starting the vehicle (when the user is in the driver's seat), or requesting authorization from the user to allow another user to start the car. Other context-based operations can utilize the biometric information obtained from the biometric sensor and subsequently provided to the user's mobile device.

[0077] Reference Figure 13, which shows an example grouping configuration for UWB ranging using biometric information. In the example, a single UWB frame 1300 can be used for both ranging and authentication and can include biometric information 1302. The UWB frame 1300 can be a PPDU frame that includes a synchronization (SYNC) field 1304 and a frame start delimiter (SFD) 1306. The SYNC field 1304 (also referred to as a preamble sequence) includes a predetermined sequence (such as the Ipatov ternary sequence) configured to improve autocorrelation properties. An encryption sequence (such as a scrambled timestamp sequence (STS) 1308) can be used to increase the integrity and accuracy of the ranging measurement. The STS 1308 can include a pseudorandomized pulse sequence generated using DRBG based on AES, as depicted in FIG. 10. The SFD 1306 is configured to help distinguish the SYNC field 704 from the STS 1308. The SYNC field 1304 and the STS 1308 can be used for channel estimation and ranging. In the example, the STS 1308 can be encrypted using the AES-128 algorithm, and the ToA estimation can be based on decoding the STS 1308. If the received STS 1308 can be cross-correlated with a locally generated reference, the distance measurement can be verified. The receiving station can be configured to locally generate a secure sequence based on the same key information used by the transmitting station to generate the STS 1308. For example, the STS key and the V value utilized in the AES algorithm can be provided to the receiving station via out-of-band transmission (e.g., control phase message 1106), and both the transmitting station and the receiving station can be configured to generate the STS 1308. The physical layer header (PHR) 1310 can contain information about the PHY payload 1312, such as the length of the data and the data rate used to transmit the data. The PHY payload 1312 can include biometric signature information as described herein. The biometric information 1302 can be used as an integrity check against potential ranging attacks. Malicious transmissions will not be able to reproduce the biometric information contained within the PHY payload 1312. A wireless device that receives the UWB frame 1300 can be configured to decode the payload and perform an integrity check. If there is authenticated biometric information, the UWB frame 1300 is considered authenticated and used for ranging / location. If there is invalid information, the UWB frame 1300 is considered malicious and discarded.

[0078] Reference Figure 14 , and further reference Figures 1 to 13, A method 1400 for authenticating a user using ranging and biometric information includes the stages shown. However, method 1400 is an example and not a limitation. Method 1400 can be changed, for example, by adding stages, removing stages, rearranging stages, combining stages, executing stages simultaneously, and / or dividing a single stage into multiple stages. For example, receiving biometric information at stage 1402 and determining the distance to the mobile device at stage 1404 can be performed in a single stage. Activating one or more controls at stage 1408 is optional. Method 1400 can be executed by the controlled party 504 in a UWB ranging session. The controlled party 504 can be a UE 200, an access point 300, a UWB device 380, or other wireless nodes configured to utilize a wireless ranging process.

[0079] At stage 1402, the method includes receiving biometric information of a user of a mobile device with a first wireless node. The controlled party 504 including a processor 381 and a wireless transceiver 385 is an example of a component for receiving biometric information and the first wireless node. In the example, with reference to Figure 11 , the biometric information can be obtained by one or more sensors in a mobile device (such as a UE 1102) and can be received by the vehicle 1104 via a wireless signal. The biometric information can be provided via OOB communication and / or included in the payload(s) of one or more ranging messages sent from the user's device. For example, the biometric information can be received via a control phase message 1106 (such as an OOB signal) and / or via one or more ranging phase messages 1108 (such as within the PHY payload 1312). In the example, with reference to Figure 12 , the biometric information can be obtained by local biometric information via an access point biometric sensor (such as the biometric sensor 1206) and received by the controller 1212. The biometric information can be a digital representation of biometric data (such as fingerprints, face, iris, etc.) and / or other behavioral data (such as keystroke dynamics, gait, signature, voice, etc.) that can be obtained from the user of the mobile device.

[0080] At stage 1404, the method includes determining the distance of the mobile device relative to the first wireless node. The controlled party 504 including a processor 381 and a wireless transceiver 385 is a component for determining the distance to the mobile device. In the example, an in-vehicle control system 1104a in the vehicle 1104 can be configured to utilize a ranging phase message 1108 or other wireless exchanges (such as NDP messages for WiFi as described in Figure 9 ) to determine the distance to the mobile device. In the example, azimuth information (such as AoA, AoD) can also be determined. In the example, with reference to Figure 12, the controller 1212 can be configured to receive distance and other location information associated with the UE 1202a from wireless nodes in the network. For example, the biometric sensor 1206 can include a UWB device 380, which is configured to exchange ranging messages with the UE 1202a and provide ranging information to the controller 1212. Other wireless devices 1218a, 1218b can be configured to provide ranging information (including the respective distances to the UE 1202a) to the controller 1212.

[0081] At stage 1406, the method includes authenticating the user and the distance to the mobile device based at least in part on biometric information. The controlled party 504 including the processor 381 is the component for authenticating the user. The vehicle control system 1104a or the controller 1212 can include previously obtained biometric information associated with the user, which can be compared with the biometric information obtained at stage 1402 to authenticate the user. In an example, the biometric information can be used as a certificate (or part of it) to authenticate the UWB session. In an example, the PPDU frame can be received at stage 1404 and can include a data payload element, where the data payload element includes biometric information. Including the biometric information in the control phase message 1106 and / or the ranging phase message 1108 can provide additional security because even if a malicious user gains access to the digital key, the malicious user will not be able to obtain the biometric data. Authentication using biometric information can be enabled via an application at the upper layer, and the underlying distance determination can utilize other wireless technologies.

[0082] At stage 1408, the method optionally includes activating one or more actions in response to determining that the user is authenticated and the distance to the mobile device. The controlled party 504 including the processor 381 is the component for activating one or more actions. In a vehicle use case, one or more action controls can include activating the engine ignition system or the motor activation sequence in response to authenticating the user and determining that the distance is within a threshold (e.g., 1m, 2m, 5m, 10m, etc.). Other actions or controls can include unlocking the door, adjusting the user's environment (e.g., seat position, mirror orientation, radio settings, etc.). In a building access use case, the actions can include opening the door, adjusting the lights in the room, setting the climate control, etc. Other actions or controls that can be adjusted based on the user's preferences can also be activated based on biometric authentication and the distance to the user.

[0083] Refer to Figure 15 , and further refer to Figures 1 to 13, Method 1500 for mapping biometric information to a ranging session includes the phases shown. However, Method 1500 is an example and not a limitation. Method 1500 can be changed, for example, by adding phases, removing phases, rearranging phases, combining phases, executing phases simultaneously, and / or dividing a single phase into multiple phases.

[0084] At phase 1502, the method includes receiving biometric information associated with a user via one or more biometric sensors at a first time. Controller 1212, which includes processor 310 and transceiver 315, is the component for receiving the biometric information. In an example, referring to Figure 11 , the biometric information can be obtained by one or more sensors in a mobile device (such as UE 1102) and can be received by vehicle 1104 via a wireless signal. The biometric information can be provided via OOB communication and / or included in the payload(s) of one or more ranging messages sent from the user's device. For example, the biometric information can be received via control phase message 1106 (e.g., an OOB signal) and / or via one or more ranging phase messages 1108 (e.g., within PHY payload 1312). In an example, referring to Figure 12 , the biometric information can be obtained from local biometric information via an access point biometric sensor (such as biometric sensor 1206) and received by controller 1212 via a wired or wireless signal. The biometric information can be a digital representation (e.g., extracted data points) of biometric data (e.g., fingerprint, face, iris, etc.) and / or other behavioral data (e.g., keystroke dynamics, gait, signature, voice, etc.) that can be obtained from a user of the mobile device.

[0085] At phase 1504, the method includes authenticating the user based on the biometric information. Controller 1212, which includes processor 310, is the component for authenticating the user. In-vehicle control system 1104a or controller 1212 can include previously obtained biometric information associated with the user, which can be compared with the biometric information obtained at phase 1502 to authenticate the user. In an example, the biometric information can be used as a certificate (or part of it) to authenticate a UWB session. The previously obtained biometric information can be stored in a data structure communicatively coupled to controller 1212 or in-vehicle control system 1104a.

[0086] At phase 1506, the method includes obtaining one or more radio frequency signals transmitted from a mobile device associated with the user at a time close to the first time. Controller 1212, which includes processor 310 and transceiver 315, is the component for obtaining the one or more radio frequency signals. In an example, the one or more radio frequency signals can be ranging signals exchanged with the mobile device. In an example, referring to Figure 12, user 1202 may provide voice input 1208, and a biometric sensor 1206 or one or more neighboring wireless devices 1218a, 1218b may be configured to obtain one or more radio frequency signals associated with UE 1202a. For example, the biometric sensor 1206 or one or more neighboring wireless devices 1218a, 1218b may perform ranging exchanges 1210, 1220a, 1220b with UE 1202a associated with user 1202 at approximately the same time when user 1202 provides biometric information (e.g., within 1, 2, 5, 10 seconds or less).

[0087] At stage 1508, the method includes storing signal information associated with one or more radio frequency signals and a mobile device. Controller 1212 including processor 310 and transceiver 315 and data structure 1214 are components for storing signal information. In an example, the signal information may be stored in a data structure including data fields based on biometric information and ranging signals obtained at stages 1502 and 1506. The signal information may include distance and azimuth information (e.g., UERange, UEAoA) and other measurements based on the ranging exchanges. Other signal information may include parameters associated with the RF channel used for the (multiple) ranging exchanges. Other unique identification information associated with one or more radio frequency signals, such as the MAC address of the device or other parameters exchanged by an application at an upper layer, may be stored. Since other signal information may be stored, these fields are examples and not limitations.

[0088] Reference Figure 16 , and further reference Figures 1 to 13 , a method 1600 for authenticating a user based on a mapping between biometric information and a ranging session includes the stages shown. However, method 1600 is an example and not a limitation. Method 1600 may be changed, for example, by adding stages, removing stages, rearranging stages, combining stages, performing stages simultaneously, and / or dividing a single stage into multiple stages. For example, determining the correlation at stage 1604 and authenticating the user at stage 1606 may be performed in a single stage, and activating an action at stage 1608 is optional.

[0089] At stage 1602, the method includes obtaining one or more measurements based on radio frequency signals transmitted from a mobile device associated with a user. Controller 1212 including processor 310 and transceiver 315 is a component for obtaining one or more measurements. In an example, reference Figure 12, the controller 1212 may receive signal measurements associated with the UE 1202a. The biometric sensor 1206 or one or more neighboring wireless devices 1218a, 1218b may perform ranging exchanges 1210, 1220a, 1220b with the UE 1202a associated with the user 1202. One or more measurements may include distance and azimuth information (e.g., UE Range, UE AoA) and other measurements based on the ranging exchanges. Other measurements may include RF parameters associated with the RF channel used for the (multiple) ranging exchanges and identification information associated with one or more radio frequency signals, such as the MAC address of the device, or other parameters exchanged by applications at the upper layer. These measurements are examples and not limitations, as other RF-related measurements may be obtained based on the ranging exchanges 1210, 1220a, 1220b. In an example, biometric inputs associated with the user 1202 stored in the UE 1202a (e.g., fingerprint scans received by the UE 1202a, gait information calculated by the UE 1202a, finger swipe identification obtained by the UE 1202a, etc.) may be one or more measurements provided during the ranging exchange 1210 and stored in the data structure 1214 to be included in the correlation calculation.

[0090] At stage 1604, the method includes determining a correlation between biometric information associated with the user and one or more measurements. The controller 1212 including the processor 310 and the data structure 1214 are components for determining the correlation between the biometric information and one or more measurements. In an example, the controller 1212 may be configured to obtain and store parameters associated with previous measurements of RF signal exchanges during previous access events. The parameters may include biometric information obtained simultaneously with one or more of the ranging exchanges 1210, 1220a, 1220b. The parameters may be retained in the data structure 1214, and the controller 1212 may be configured to query the data structure 1214 based on the measurements obtained at stage 1602. The query result may return biometric information associated with the user. Other statistical techniques may be used to associate the measurements obtained at stage 1602 with the biometric data stored in the data structure 1214. For example, the average value, mean value, variance, and standard deviation of the distance information associated with one or more of the previous ranging exchanges 1210, 1220a, 1220b may be calculated. Other context information (such as date and time) may be used in combination with the measurements to determine the correlation. Machine learning techniques or other filtering (e.g., Kalman filter) methods may be used to determine the correlation.

[0091] At stage 1606, the method includes authenticating a user at least in part based on a correlation. The controller 1212 including the processor 310 is the component for authenticating the user. In an example, the authentication is based on a match of the measurements obtained at stage 1602 and the measurements obtained during a previous access event when the user provided biometric input. Other machine learning techniques or other filtering (e.g., Kalman filter) methods may be used to authenticate the user. When the authentication is successfully performed, the user 1202 will not be required to provide biometric information, and the controller 1212 may be configured to authorize access based on the measurements.

[0092] At stage 1608, the method optionally includes activating one or more actions in response to authenticating the user. The controller 1212 including the processor 310 is the component for activating one or more actions. Refer to Figure 12 , the actions may include unlocking and / or automatically opening the door 1204a. Other environmental actions or controls expected for the user to enter may be activated, such as adjusting the lights in the room, setting the climate control, etc. The method 1600 may also be used in a vehicle use case, and one or more actions may include activating the engine ignition system or the motor activation sequence in response to authenticating the user and determining that the distance is within a threshold (e.g., 1m, 2m, 5m, 10m, etc.). Other actions or controls may include unlocking the door, adjusting the user's environment (e.g., seat position, mirror orientation, radio settings, etc.). Other actions or controls that can be adjusted based on the user's preferences may also be activated based on the user's authentication.

[0093] Refer to Figure 17 and further refer to Figures 1 to 13 , the method 1700 for sending a ranging signal includes the stages shown. However, the method 1700 is an example and not a limitation. The method 1700 may be changed, for example, by adding stages, removing stages, rearranging stages, combining stages, executing stages simultaneously, and / or dividing a single stage into multiple stages.

[0094] At stage 1702, the method includes receiving biometric information associated with a user using a mobile device. The UE 200, which includes a processor 210 and a user interface 216, is a component for receiving biometric information. In an example, one or more sensors or user interface components of a mobile device (such as the UE 200) may include one or more biometric sensors configured to obtain biometric information associated with the user. The biometric sensors may include a fingerprint capture device, a microphone (for voice input), a camera 218 (e.g., for face recognition, iris detection), a display (e.g., for finger swipe recognition), or other such sensors. Inertial measurement sensors in the mobile device may be configured to obtain motion data to determine biometric information, such as the user's gait or step length. Other sensors in the mobile device may also be used to obtain biometric information associated with the user.

[0095] At stage 1704, the method includes generating a ranging signal including an indication of biometric information using a mobile device. The UE 200, which includes a processor 210 and a transceiver 215, is a component for generating the ranging signal. The indication of biometric information may be a digital representation of the biometric information obtained at stage 1702. For example, the biometric information may be a fingerprint, and the indication of biometric information may be a set of features extracted from an image of the fingerprint. In an example, the mobile device may be configured as the control party 502 in a UWB ranging session. The mobile device may include the indication of biometric information in a ranging control message 506 that may utilize out-of-band transmission. For example, the ranging control message 506 with biometric information may be provided via Bluetooth or WiFi transmission. In an example, refer to Figure 11 and Figure 13 , the indication of biometric information may be included in one or more ranging phase messages 1108. For example, the PHY payload 1312 may include biometric information. In an example, the indication of biometric information may be used as a certificate (or a part thereof) to authenticate a UWB session. Other radio ranging techniques may be configured to include biometric information. In an example, an NDP frame may be configured to include biometric information.

[0096] At stage 1706, the method includes transmitting the ranging signal using a mobile device. The UE 200, which includes a processor 210 and a transceiver 215, is a component for transmitting the ranging signal. The ranging signal may be transmitted based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard and may utilize the physical layer (PHY) and the medium access control (MAC) sublayer to achieve secure ranging. In an example, the ranging signal may also utilize the IEEE 802.15.4z security feature.

[0097] Other examples and implementation manners are within the scope of the present disclosure and the appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software and computers, the above functions can be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or any combination thereof. The features implementing the functions can also be physically located at various positions, including being distributed such that portions of the functions are implemented at different physical positions. Unless otherwise stated, components (functions or otherwise) shown in the figures and / or discussed herein as being connected or communicating with each other are communicatively coupled. That is, they can be directly or indirectly connected to enable communication between them.

[0098] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" also include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, "processor" can include one processor or multiple processors. As used herein, the terms "comprising", "comprises", "including", and / or "includes" specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0099] As used herein, unless otherwise stated, a statement that a function or operation is "based on" an item or condition means that the function or operation is based on the stated item or condition and can be based on one or more other items and / or conditions in addition to the stated item or condition.

[0100] In addition, as used herein, "or" as used in a list of items (which may start with "at least one of..." or "one or more of...") indicates a disjunctive list such that, for example, a list of "at least one of A, B, or C" or a list of "one or more of A, B, or C" or a list of "A or B or C" means A or B or C, or AB (A and B), or AC (A and C), or BC (B and C), or ABC (i.e., A and B and C), or combinations with more than one feature (e.g., AA, AAB, ABBC, etc.). Thus, a recitation that an item (e.g., a processor) is configured to perform a function with respect to at least one of A or B, or a recitation that an item is configured to perform function A or function B, means that the item can be configured to perform the function with respect to A, or can be configured to perform the function with respect to B, or can be configured to perform the function with respect to A and B. For example, the phrase "a processor configured to measure at least one of A or B" or "a processor configured to measure A or measure B" means that the processor can be configured to measure A (and can be configured to or not configured to measure B), or can be configured to measure B (and can be configured to or not configured to measure A), or can be configured to measure A and measure B (and can be configured to select which one or both of A and B to measure). Similarly, a recitation of a component for measuring at least one of A or B includes a component for measuring A (which may or may not be able to measure B), or a component for measuring B (and may be configured to or not configured to measure A), or a component for measuring A and B (which may be able to select which one or both of A and B to measure). As another example, a recitation that an item (e.g., a processor) is configured to perform at least one of function X or perform function Y means that the item can be configured to perform function X, or can be configured to perform function Y, or can be configured to perform function X and perform function Y. For example, the phrase "a processor configured to measure at least one of X or Y" means that the processor can be configured to measure X (and can be configured to or not configured to measure Y), or can be configured to measure Y (and can be configured to or not configured to measure X), or can be configured to measure X and measure Y (and can be configured to select which one or both of X and Y to measure). Substantive variations can be made in accordance with specific requirements. For example, custom hardware can also be used, and / or specific elements can be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor (including portable software such as applets, etc.), or both. In addition, connections to other computing devices such as network input / output devices can be employed.

[0101] The systems and devices discussed above are examples. Various configurations may appropriately omit, substitute, or add various processes or components. For example, features described with respect to certain configurations may be combined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of a configuration may be combined in a similar manner. Additionally, as technology evolves, many elements are examples and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure or the claims.

[0102] A wireless communication system is a system in which communication is transmitted wirelessly (i.e., via electromagnetic waves and / or acoustic waves that propagate through airspace rather than through wires or other physical connections). A wireless communication network may not have all communications that are wirelessly transmitted, but is configured to have at least some communications that are wirelessly transmitted. Additionally, the term “wireless communication device” or similar terms do not require that the functionality of the device be exclusively or even primarily for communication, or that the device be a mobile device, but rather indicate that the device includes wireless communication capabilities (one-way or two-way), such as including at least one radio device for wireless communication (each radio device being part of a transmitter, receiver, or transceiver).

[0103] Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of example configurations, including implementations. However, the configurations may be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the configurations. The description provides example configurations and does not limit the scope, applicability, or configurations of the claims. Instead, the foregoing description of the configurations provides a description for implementing the described techniques. Various changes may be made to the function and arrangement of the elements without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.

[0104] As used herein, the terms “processor-readable medium,” “machine-readable medium,” and “computer-readable medium” refer to any medium that participates in providing data that causes a machine to operate in a particular manner. Using a computing platform, various processor-readable media may be involved in providing instructions / code to a processor (or processors) for execution and / or may be used to store and / or carry such instructions / code (e.g., as a signal). In many implementations, the processor-readable medium is a physical and / or tangible storage medium. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical discs and / or magnetic disks. Volatile media include, but are not limited to, dynamic memory.

[0105] A statement that a value exceeds (or is greater than or higher than) a first threshold is equivalent to a statement that the value meets or exceeds a second threshold that is slightly greater than the first threshold. For example, the second threshold is a value that is higher than the first threshold in a solution of a computing system. A statement that a value is less than the first threshold (or within or below the first threshold) is equivalent to a statement that the value is less than or equal to a second threshold that is slightly lower than the first threshold. For example, the second threshold is a value that is lower than the first threshold in a solution of a computing system.

[0106] Implementation examples are described in the following numbered clauses:

[0107] Clause 1. A method for sending a ranging signal from a mobile device, comprising: receiving biometric information associated with a user with the mobile device; generating a ranging signal including an indication of the biometric information with the mobile device; and sending the ranging signal with the mobile device.

[0108] Clause 2. The method according to Clause 1, wherein the ranging signal is a control phase message in an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging session.

[0109] Clause 3. The method according to Clause 2, wherein the control phase message utilizes an out-of-band signal based on at least one of a WiFi protocol or a Bluetooth protocol.

[0110] Clause 4. The method according to Clause 1, wherein the ranging signal is sent in a ranging phase message in an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging session.

[0111] Clause 5. The method according to Clause 1, wherein the ranging signal is based on a WiFi ranging protocol.

[0112] Clause 6. The method according to Clause 1, wherein the biometric information is based on fingerprint scanning, voice input, camera input, user gait information, or any combination thereof.

[0113] Clause 7. A method for authenticating a user of a mobile device using ranging and biometric information, comprising: receiving biometric information of the user of the mobile device at a first wireless node; determining a distance of the mobile device relative to the first wireless node; and authenticating the user and the distance to the mobile device at least in part based on the biometric information.

[0114] Clause 8. The method according to Clause 7, wherein receiving biometric information of the user of the mobile device includes receiving one or more ranging messages including the biometric information.

[0115] Clause 9. The method according to Clause 8, wherein the one or more ranging messages are sent in an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging session.

[0116] Clause 10. The method according to Clause 8, wherein the distance to the mobile device is determined at least in part based on one or more ranging messages.

[0117] Clause 11. The method according to Clause 7, wherein receiving biometric information of a user of the mobile device includes receiving an input from a biometric sensor at an access point.

[0118] Clause 12. The method according to Clause 7, further comprising activating one or more actions in response to determining that the user is authenticated and the distance is within a threshold to the mobile device.

[0119] Clause 13. The method according to Clause 12, wherein activating one or more actions includes unlocking a door of a vehicle or unlocking a door of a building.

[0120] Clause 14. The method according to Clause 7, wherein determining the distance to the mobile device is based on a WiFi ranging session.

[0121] Clause 15. The method according to Clause 7, wherein the biometric information is based on fingerprint scanning, voice input, camera input, user gait information, or any combination thereof.

[0122] Clause 16. A method for mapping between biometric information and a ranging session, comprising: receiving, via one or more biometric sensors at a first time, biometric information associated with a user; authenticating the user based on the biometric information; obtaining one or more radio frequency signals transmitted from a mobile device associated with the user in proximity to the first time; and storing signal information associated with the one or more radio frequency signals and the mobile device.

[0123] Clause 17. The method according to Clause 16, wherein the one or more radio frequency signals are transmitted in an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging session.

[0124] Clause 18. The method according to Clause 17, wherein the one or more biometric sensors are disposed in the mobile device, and the one or more radio frequency signals include an indication of the biometric information.

[0125] Clause 19. The method according to Clause 16, wherein the one or more radio frequency signals are based on a WiFi ranging protocol.

[0126] Clause 20. The method according to Clause 16, wherein the one or more biometric sensors are disposed in proximity to an access point.

[0127] Clause 21. The method according to Clause 20, further comprising: obtaining, at a second time, one or more measurements based on a second radio frequency signal transmitted from the mobile device; determining a correlation between the biometric information associated with the user and the one or more measurements; and authenticating the user at least in part based on the correlation.

[0128] Clause 22. The method according to Clause 21 further includes activating one or more actions in response to authenticating a user.

[0129] Clause 23. The method according to Clause 22, wherein activating one or more actions includes unlocking the door of a vehicle or unlocking the door of a building.

[0130] Clause 24. A device includes: a memory; at least one transceiver; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver and configured to: receive biometric information associated with a user; generate a ranging signal including an indication of the biometric information; and transmit the ranging signal.

[0131] Clause 25. The device according to Clause 24, wherein the ranging signal is a control phase message in an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging session.

[0132] Clause 26. The device according to Clause 25, wherein the control phase message utilizes an out-of-band signal transmitted over at least one of a WiFi protocol or a Bluetooth protocol.

[0133] Clause 27. The device according to Clause 24, wherein the ranging signal is transmitted in a ranging phase message in an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging session.

[0134] Clause 28. The device according to Clause 24, wherein the ranging signal is transmitted based on a WiFi ranging protocol.

[0135] Clause 29. The device according to Clause 24, wherein the biometric information is based on fingerprint scanning, voice input, camera input, user gait information, or any combination thereof.

[0136] Clause 30. A device includes: a memory; at least one transceiver; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver and configured to: receive biometric information of a user of a mobile device; determine a distance to the mobile device; and authenticate the user and the distance to the mobile device at least in part based on the biometric information.

[0137] Clause 31. The device according to Clause 30, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive one or more ranging messages including biometric information of a user of the mobile device.

[0138] Clause 32. The device according to Clause 31, wherein the one or more ranging messages are transmitted in an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging session.

[0139] Clause 33. The device according to Clause 31, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the distance to the mobile device at least in part based on the one or more ranging messages.

[0140] Clause 34. The apparatus according to clause 30, wherein at least one processor is further configured to receive biometric information of a user of the mobile device based on user input to a biometric sensor at an access point.

[0141] Clause 35. The apparatus according to clause 30, wherein at least one processor is further configured to activate one or more actions in response to determining that the user is authenticated and that the distance to the mobile device is within a threshold.

[0142] Clause 36. The apparatus according to clause 35, wherein at least one processor is further configured to unlock a vehicle door or unlock a building door.

[0143] Clause 37. The apparatus according to clause 30, wherein at least one processor is further configured to determine the distance to the mobile device based on a WiFi ranging session.

[0144] Clause 38. The apparatus according to clause 30, wherein at least one processor is further configured to determine biometric information based on fingerprint scanning, voice input, camera input, user gait information, or any combination thereof.

[0145] Clause 39. An apparatus, comprising: a memory; at least one transceiver; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver and configured to: receive biometric information associated with a user via one or more biometric sensors at a first time; authenticate the user based on the biometric information; obtain one or more radio frequency signals transmitted from a mobile device associated with the user proximate to the first time; and store signal information associated with the one or more radio frequency signals and the mobile device.

[0146] Clause 40. The apparatus according to clause 39, wherein the one or more radio frequency signals are transmitted in an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging session.

[0147] Clause 41. The apparatus according to clause 40, wherein the one or more biometric sensors are disposed in the mobile device, and the one or more radio frequency signals include an indication of the biometric information.

[0148] Clause 42. The apparatus according to clause 39, wherein the one or more radio frequency signals are transmitted in a WiFi ranging session.

[0149] Clause 43. The apparatus according to clause 39, wherein the one or more biometric sensors are disposed proximate to an access point.

[0150] Clause 44. The apparatus according to Clause 43, wherein at least one processor is further configured to: obtain one or more measurements based on a second radio frequency signal transmitted from a mobile device at a second time; determine a correlation between biometric information associated with a user and the one or more measurements; and authenticate the user at least in part based on the correlation.

[0151] Clause 45. The apparatus according to Clause 44, wherein at least one processor is further configured to activate one or more actions in response to authenticating the user.

[0152] Clause 46. The apparatus according to Clause 45, wherein at least one processor is further configured to unlock a vehicle door or unlock a building door.

[0153] Clause 47. An apparatus for transmitting a ranging signal from a mobile device, comprising: means for receiving, by the mobile device, biometric information associated with a user; means for generating, by the mobile device, a ranging signal including an indication of the biometric information; and means for transmitting, by the mobile device, the ranging signal.

[0154] Clause 48. An apparatus for authenticating a user of a mobile device using ranging and biometric information, comprising: means for receiving, at a first wireless node, biometric information of a user of the mobile device; means for determining a distance of the mobile device relative to the first wireless node; and means for authenticating the user and the distance to the mobile device at least in part based on the biometric information.

[0155] Clause 49. An apparatus for mapping between biometric information and a ranging session, comprising: means for receiving, via one or more biometric sensors at a first time, biometric information associated with a user; means for authenticating the user based on the biometric information; means for obtaining one or more radio frequency signals transmitted from a mobile device associated with the user in proximity to the first time; and means for storing signal information associated with the one or more radio frequency signals and the mobile device.

[0156] Clause 50. The apparatus according to Clause 49, wherein one or more biometric sensors are provided in proximity to an access point, and the apparatus further comprises: means for obtaining one or more measurements based on a second radio frequency signal transmitted from the mobile device at a second time; means for determining a correlation between biometric information associated with the user and the one or more measurements; and means for authenticating the user at least in part based on the correlation.

[0157] Clause 51. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions, wherein the processor-readable instructions are configured to cause one or more processors to transmit a ranging signal from a mobile device. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium includes: code for receiving biometric information associated with a user with the mobile device; code for generating a ranging signal including an indication of the biometric information with the mobile device; and code for transmitting the ranging signal with the mobile device.

[0158] Clause 52. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions, wherein the processor-readable instructions are configured to cause one or more processors to authenticate a user of a mobile device using ranging and biometric information. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium includes: code for receiving biometric information of a user of the mobile device at a first wireless node; code for determining a distance of the mobile device relative to the first wireless node; and code for authenticating the user and the distance to the mobile device based at least in part on the biometric information.

[0159] Clause 53. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions, wherein the processor-readable instructions are configured to cause one or more processors to map between biometric information and a ranging session. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium includes: code for receiving, via one or more biometric sensors, biometric information associated with a user at a first time; code for authenticating the user based on the biometric information; code for obtaining one or more radio frequency signals transmitted from a mobile device associated with the user proximate to the first time; and code for storing signal information associated with the one or more radio frequency signals and the mobile device.

[0160] Clause 54. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium according to Clause 53, wherein the one or more biometric sensors are disposed proximate to an access point and further include: code for obtaining one or more measurements based on a second radio frequency signal transmitted from the mobile device at a second time; code for determining a correlation between the biometric information associated with the user and the one or more measurements; and code for authenticating the user based at least in part on the correlation.

Claims

1. A method for sending a ranging signal from a mobile device, comprising: Receiving, by the mobile device, biometric information associated with a user; Generating, by the mobile device, the ranging signal including an indication of the biometric information; And Sending, by the mobile device, the ranging signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The ranging signal is a control phase message in an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging session.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The control phase message utilizes an out-of-band signal based on at least one of a WiFi protocol or a Bluetooth protocol.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein The ranging signal is sent in a ranging phase message in an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging session.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein The ranging signal is based on a WiFi ranging protocol.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The biometric information is based on fingerprint scanning, voice input, camera input, user gait information, or any combination thereof.

7. A method for authenticating a user of a mobile device using ranging and biometric information, comprising: Receiving, at a first wireless node, biometric information of the user of the mobile device; Determining a distance of the mobile device relative to the first wireless node; And Authenticating the user and the distance to the mobile device at least in part based on the biometric information.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein Receiving the biometric information of the user of the mobile device includes receiving one or more ranging messages including the biometric information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The one or more ranging messages are sent in an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging session.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The distance to the mobile device is determined at least in part based on the one or more ranging messages.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Receiving the biometric information of the user of the mobile device includes receiving an input from a biometric sensor at an access point.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising activating one or more actions in response to determining that the user is authenticated and the distance is within a threshold to the mobile device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, Activating the one or more actions includes unlocking a door of a vehicle or unlocking a door of a building.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Determining the distance to the mobile device is based on a WiFi ranging session.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The biometric information is based on fingerprint scanning, voice input, camera input, user gait information, or any combination thereof.

16. A method for mapping between biometric information and a ranging session, comprising: Receiving, at a first time, via one or more biometric sensors, biometric information associated with a user; Authenticating the user based on the biometric information; Obtaining one or more radio frequency signals sent from a mobile device associated with the user in proximity to the first time; And Storing signal information associated with the one or more radio frequency signals and the mobile device.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein The one or more radio frequency signals are sent in an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging session.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein The one or more biometric sensors are provided in the mobile device, and the one or more radio frequency signals include an indication of the biometric information.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The one or more radio frequency signals are based on a WiFi ranging protocol.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The one or more biometric sensors are provided in proximity to an access point.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising: Obtaining one or more measurements based on a second radio frequency signal sent from the mobile device at a second time; Determine a correlation between biometric information associated with the user and the one or more measurements; and Authenticate the user at least in part based on the correlation.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising activating one or more actions in response to authenticating the user.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, Activating the one or more actions includes unlocking a vehicle door or unlocking a building door.

24. An apparatus, comprising: A memory; At least one transceiver; At least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver and configured to: Receive biometric information associated with a user; Generate a ranging signal including an indication of the biometric information; and Transmit the ranging signal.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein, The ranging signal is a control phase message in an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging session.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein The control phase message utilizes an out-of-band signal transmitted over at least one of a WiFi protocol or a Bluetooth protocol.

27. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The ranging signal is transmitted in a ranging phase message in an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging session.

28. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, The ranging signal is transmitted over a WiFi ranging protocol.

29. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein The biometric information is based on fingerprint scanning, voice input, camera input, user gait information, or any combination thereof.

30. An apparatus, comprising: A memory; At least one transceiver; At least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver and configured to: Receive biometric information of a user of a mobile device; Determine a distance to the mobile device; and Authenticate the user and the distance to the mobile device at least in part based on the biometric information.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to receive one or more ranging messages including biometric information of a user of the mobile device.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein, The one or more ranging messages are transmitted in an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging session.

33. The device according to claim 31, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to determine a distance to the mobile device at least in part based on the one or more ranging messages.

34. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to receive biometric information of a user of the mobile device based on user input at a biometric sensor at an access point.

35. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to activate one or more actions in response to determining that the user is authenticated and the distance to the mobile device is within a threshold.

36. The device according to claim 35, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to unlock a vehicle door or unlock a building door.

37. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to determine a distance to the mobile device based on a WiFi ranging session.

38. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the biometric information based on fingerprint scanning, voice input, camera input, user gait information, or any combination thereof.

39. An apparatus, comprising: A memory; At least one transceiver; At least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver and configured to: Receive biometric information associated with a user via one or more biometric sensors at a first time; Authenticate the user based on the biometric information; Obtain one or more radio frequency signals transmitted from a mobile device associated with the user at or near the first time; And Store signal information associated with the one or more radio frequency signals and the mobile device.

40. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein, The one or more radio frequency signals are transmitted in an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ranging session.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, wherein, The one or more biometric sensors are disposed in the mobile device, and the one or more radio frequency signals include an indication of the biometric information.

42. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein, The one or more radio frequency signals are transmitted in a WiFi ranging session.

43. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein, The one or more biometric sensors are disposed near an access point.

44. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to: Obtain one or more measurements based on a second radio frequency signal transmitted from the mobile device at a second time; Determine a correlation between biometric information associated with the user and the one or more measurements; And Authenticate the user at least in part based on the correlation.

45. The apparatus according to claim 44, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to activate one or more actions in response to authenticating the user.

46. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein, The at least one processor is further configured to unlock a vehicle door or unlock a building door.

Images