Direct acquisition of UWB ranging triggers through both Bluetooth and Internet

Abstract

An apparatus is configured to initiate an operation to locate a target device; generating a Bluetooth discovery signal for detecting proximity of the target device to be transmitted to the target device; generating a discovery message for transmission to the target device via the network connection at substantially the same time as the Bluetooth discovery signal; detecting a Bluetooth discovery response from the target device or a response to the discovery message; and triggering an ultra wide band (UWB) ranging operation based on detecting the Bluetooth discovery response or the response to the discovery message.

Description

Priority / Incorporation by Reference

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 537,432, filed September 8, 2023, entitled “Direct Acquisition of UWB Ranging Triggers Over Both Bluetooth and Internet,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND

[0002] A user equipment (UE) can be equipped with a mechanism for locating another device (e.g., determining a range of another device relative to the UE). For example, the UE can use a short-range protocol such as Bluetooth or ultra-wideband (UWB). In some cases, Bluetooth can be used as a discovery mechanism to detect proximity of another device, and this proximity detection can trigger a UWB mechanism to precisely locate another device. However, in some deployment scenarios, such as a crowded environment such as a concert, theme park, or densely populated city, ranging performance can be inhibited due to Bluetooth interference. SUMMARY

[0003] Some example embodiments relate to an apparatus having processing circuitry configured to: initiate an operation for locating a target device; generate a Bluetooth discovery signal for detecting proximity of the target device to send to the target device; generate a discovery message to send to the target device via a network connection at substantially the same time as the Bluetooth discovery signal; detect a Bluetooth discovery response from the target device or a response to the discovery message; and trigger an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operation based on detecting the Bluetooth discovery response or the response to the discovery message.

[0004] Other example embodiments relate to a method for: initiating an operation for locating a target device; sending, using first transceiver circuitry, a Bluetooth discovery signal for detecting proximity of the target device; sending, using second transceiver circuitry, a discovery message to the target device via a network connection at substantially the same time as the Bluetooth discovery signal; detecting a Bluetooth discovery response from the target device or a response to the discovery message; and triggering an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operation based on detecting the Bluetooth discovery response or the response to the discovery message. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0005] Figure 1 A diagram is shown of an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging mechanism with a Bluetooth discovery mechanism and narrowband assistance, according to the prior art.

[0006] Figure 2A diagram showing an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging mechanism with both Bluetooth discovery trigger and Internet-based discovery trigger is shown in accordance with various example embodiments.

[0007] Figure 3 A signaling diagram for a location determination mechanism including an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging with both Bluetooth discovery trigger and Internet-based discovery trigger is shown in accordance with various example embodiments.

[0008] Figure 4a A plot including a line of sight (LoS) link budget time series for a Bluetooth channel is shown.

[0009] Figure 4b A plot including a non-LoS (nLoS) link budget time series for a Bluetooth channel is shown.

[0010] Figure 5 A flow diagram for selecting Bluetooth operating parameters for a discovery mechanism to trigger UWB ranging is shown in accordance with various example embodiments.

[0011] Figure 6 An example arrangement is shown in accordance with various example embodiments.

[0012] Figure 7 An example user equipment (UE) is shown in accordance with various example embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Example embodiments can be further understood with reference to the following description and related drawings in which like numerals are used to represent like elements throughout. The example embodiments relate to a discovery mechanism for triggering an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operation.

[0014] Example embodiments are described with reference to a user equipment (UE). However, the reference to a UE is provided merely for illustrative purposes. The example embodiments can be used with any electronic component equipped with hardware, software, and / or firmware for wirelessly exchanging signals with a network and / or another remote device. Thus, the UE described herein is used to represent any electronic component.

[0015] Example implementations are also described with reference to UEs enabled to establish a radio link using a short-range wireless communication protocol. Bluetooth (e.g., Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), etc.) is a communication protocol that enables short-range communication between two or more devices. Some use cases for Bluetooth include ranging (or position determination) applications, where a position of a target device is estimated based on channel measurements, such as a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), where a finder device measures a strength of a signal from a target device to estimate a distance between the devices. Bluetooth operates in the 2.4 GHz Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) spectrum band.

[0016] Ultra-wideband (UWB) is another type of communication protocol that enables short-range communication between two or more devices. Some use cases for UWB include position determination or ranging applications, where a position of a target device is estimated by transmitting a large number of pulses across a wide spectrum fast (e.g., at multi-millisecond (MMS) rates). A finder device determines a range of a target device based on time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) or time-of-flight (ToF) measurements. UWB technology is capable of range determination with high accuracy (e.g., 10 cm). UWB operates across a spectrum range of greater than 7 GHz (from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz). In some cases, UWB ranging mechanisms can include narrow-band (NB) assistance prior to a UWB session.

[0017] In some cases, Bluetooth can be used as a discovery mechanism to detect proximity of another device, where this proximity detection can trigger UWB mechanisms to precisely locate another device. In general, Bluetooth has better propagation (2.4 GHz vs. 5.7 GHz) and less noise (1 MHz bandwidth vs. 3 MHz bandwidth for UWB-NB) than UWB, and therefore should be able to detect proximity of a device at a range that is greater than a range of UWB operation. According to existing technology, a first device (e.g., a finder device) can locate a second device (e.g., a target device) via UWB ranging triggered by Bluetooth discovery.

[0018] Figure 1A diagram 100 showing a UWB ranging mechanism with Bluetooth discovery mechanism and narrowband assistance according to the prior art is shown. The diagram 100 includes a first device (device A) 102 and a second device (device B) 104. The first device 102 can initiate an operation to locate the second device 104 in various scenarios. In one example, in a crowded environment, a user of the first device 102 can seek to locate a user of the second device 104 and execute an application to find the location of the second device 104. In a first phase 106, the first device 102 can send a Bluetooth discovery signal (e.g., an advertisement) and listen for a response. When the second device 104 detects the discovery signal, the second device 104 can send a Bluetooth discovery response (e.g., an advertisement). When the first device 102 receives the discovery response, this can trigger the first device 102 to perform UWB ranging on a U2 antenna (or any other type of antenna). In a second phase 108, the operation can include narrowband assistance discovery before a third phase 110 including a UWB ranging session.

[0019] UWB ranging can show improved performance over Bluetooth ranging. However, UWB is also more complex and energy intensive than Bluetooth. The U2 antenna used to perform UWB ranging should not be always on. In many cases, it is preferred that UWB ranging is performed only after first determining that the finder device and the target device are approximately close to each other. Thus, it can be preferred to have a triggering mechanism as a prerequisite for UWB ranging, for example, as described above. However, it has been observed that Bluetooth-gated UWB has a decaying operating range in certain congested environments, such as crowded outdoor locations, theme parks, or shopping malls. In these cases, the Bluetooth range can decay and UWB ranging can only be triggered within a range that is smaller than the UWB operating range, thereby limiting the UWB range.

[0020] According to the present example embodiments, enhancements for triggering the UWB ranging mechanism are described. In some example embodiments, an alternative internet-based discovery method can trigger UWB ranging. In some example embodiments, the alternative internet-based discovery method can be used in parallel with the Bluetooth discovery method. In some example embodiments, the Bluetooth discovery method can be enhanced under certain conditions, such as a congested environment or when the internet-based discovery method is not available.

[0021] In one aspect of these example embodiments, an alternative discovery mechanism can be used to trigger UWB ranging. The alternative discovery mechanism can be deployed over the internet. The alternative internet-based discovery mechanism can be referred to herein as an internet discovery service (IDS). In these embodiments, a message can be sent from a finder device to a target device (or a findee device) and if the finder device receives a response from the target device, UWB ranging is triggered at the target device.

[0022] In some example implementations, internet-based discovery mechanisms can be used in conjunction with Bluetooth-based discovery methods. For instance, both discovery mechanisms can be initiated in parallel, and UWB ranging is triggered if either one succeeds.

[0023] Figure 2 Figure 200 illustrates an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging mechanism with both Bluetooth discovery triggering and Internet-based discovery triggering, according to various example implementations. The figure includes a first device 202 (Device A) and a second device 204 (Device B). The first device 202 can initiate operations for locating the second device 204. In a first phase 206, the first device 202 can send Bluetooth discovery signals and Internet-based discovery messages in parallel and listen for responses. When the second device 204 detects either discovery signal, the second device 204 can send a discovery response via either or both of the Bluetooth discovery mechanism and / or the Internet-based discovery mechanism. When the first device 202 receives either discovery response, this can trigger the first device 202 to perform UWB ranging on its U2 antenna. In a second phase 208, operations can include narrowband-assisted discovery prior to a third phase 210 that includes the UWB ranging session.

[0024] Figure 3 Signaling diagram 300 is shown according to various example embodiments for a location determination mechanism including UWB ranging with both Bluetooth discovery triggering and Internet-based discovery triggering. Signaling diagram 300 includes a seeker 302, which can be a device (client) or a system. Seeker 302 includes an IDS module 304 or subsystem and a Bluetooth module 306 or subsystem. Signaling diagram 300 also includes a seeker 308, which can be a device (client) or a system. Seeker 308 may be referred to as a target device. Seeker 308 includes an IDS module 310 or subsystem and a Bluetooth module 312 or subsystem.

[0025] In step 314, the lookup party 302 and the lookupe party 308 can generate and exchange unique friendship keys, such as identity resolution keys (IRKs), to enable these devices / systems to locate each other. In this example, the lookup party 302 uses a unique IRK from the lookupe party 308 to enable the lookup party 302 to locate the lookupe party 308. In step 316, the lookupe party 308 sends a unique key to the lookup party 302. In this example, the lookup party 302 can be associated with a first user (Alice), and the lookupe party 308 can be associated with a second user (Bob).

[0026] In 318, the lookup party 302 initiates an operation to locate the lookupee 308. In one example, the lookup party 302 (Alice) may execute an application, such as the "Find My" application, and select the lookupee 308, for example, by selecting a name (Bob) associated with the device of the lookupee 308.

[0027] In 320, the finder 302 transmits Bluetooth-based ranging trigger 322 and IDS-based ranging trigger 324 in parallel. BT trigger 322 includes a BT discovery signal, such as an announcement. IDS trigger 324 includes a message transmitted over the Internet. Therefore, in this example, the finder 302 has Internet access via, for example, a cellular network or another wireless network (such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) or wide area network (WAN)).

[0028] In step 326, the party being looked up 308 receives either or both of the BT ranging trigger 322 or the IDS ranging trigger 324. Receiving only one of the two ranging triggers is sufficient to trigger a response from the party being looked up 308. In one example, if the party being looked up 308 is in a BT congestion environment, the BT ranging trigger 322 may not be detected, and if the party being looked up 308 has internet access, it may only receive the IDS trigger 324. In another example, if the party being looked up 308 has no cellular access or poor wireless network coverage, it may not receive the IDS ranging trigger 324, and if BT coverage is sufficient, it may only receive the BT trigger 322.

[0029] In 328, the searched party 308 transmits either or both of the BT ranging response 330 and / or the IDS ranging response 332. In one example, the searched party 308 may transmit both types of responses regardless of the type of ranging trigger received. In another example, the searched party 308 may transmit the response via any mechanism by which it receives the trigger.

[0030] In 334, the seeker 302 receives either or both of ranging responses 330 and 332. Upon receiving a response, it can be determined that the seeker 302 and the seeker 308 are sufficiently close to trigger the UWB ranging mechanism.

[0031] In step 336, the lookup party 302 initiates a UWB ranging mechanism. The UWB ranging mechanism typically involves the lookup party 302 waking up its UWB chipset, transmitting a ranging trigger (338), and announcing the ranging trigger along with a lookup party authorization tag (340), and the lookupee party 308 receiving the ranging trigger (342). Upon receiving the ranging trigger, the lookupee party 308 can wake up its UWB chipset (344), send the ranging trigger (346), and send an announcement with the ranging trigger (348). Narrowband assistance is then established (350), and a UWB ranging session can begin (352).

[0032] As described above, both BT triggering and IDS triggering can be used in parallel by both the lookup device and the target device. In other example implementations, if, for example, a congested BT environment is detected, only the IDS triggering mechanism can be used. The IDS triggering mechanism can be supported by mobile devices such as mobile phones, cellular watches, or watches with Wi-Fi.

[0033] In some example implementations, no preconditions are imposed for triggering the use of IDS. For example, the only requirement for initiating an internet discovery mechanism is that the finding device has internet access via, for example, a cellular or Wi-Fi network. If the target device also has internet access, the message can be received at the target device. The response can then be transmitted to the finding device, which, upon receipt by the target device, can trigger UWB ranging.

[0034] In other example implementations, an Internet discovery mechanism can be used if certain preconditions are met. In one example, preconditions can be imposed, where an IDS triggering mechanism is used if the discovering device and the target device are approximately close to each other.

[0035] In some example implementations, GPS proximity can be a prerequisite for transmitting an Internet Discovery Message (IDS). In one example, the seeking device may be tracking or has previously tracked the target device's GPS location. The seeking device can compare its current GPS location with the current or most recent GPS location. If the seeking device's current GPS location is within a predefined range of the sought device, an IDS message can be transmitted. In another example, the target device may be tracking or has previously tracked the seeking device's GPS location. Upon receiving an Internet Discovery Message, the target device can compare its current GPS location with the seeking device's current or most recent GPS location. If the sought device's current GPS location is within a predefined range of the seeking device, an IDS response can be transmitted. If the GPS location for either the seeking or the sought device is not up-to-date, previous GPS locations can be checked.

[0036] There are locations or events with poor Bluetooth and cellular performance. In some cases, alternative internet-based discovery mechanisms may not be available. In one example, some finder devices and / or found devices may not have internet access or may be unable to access the internet. Therefore, only Bluetooth triggering is available.

[0037] In another aspect of these example implementations, the Bluetooth triggering mechanism can be executed using different operating parameters based on the analysis of Bluetooth-related metrics. In some implementations, the operating parameters for Bluetooth discovery operations may include transmit power, data rate, antenna diversity, and / or ranging intervals that can be adjusted based on the Bluetooth environment. The Bluetooth environment can be analyzed based on metrics including Bluetooth density and visibility.

[0038] The operating parameters used for Bluetooth triggering operations can include default parameters under non-congestion conditions. For example, under non-congestion conditions, Bluetooth operating parameters can include a transmit power of 7.5 dBm, no antenna diversity (antenna diversity disabled), a data rate of 2 Mbps, and a ranging interval of 10 ms. The above default values ​​are provided as examples only, and other default values ​​can be defined. If a strong BT signal is detected, the default parameters can be used.

[0039] When congestion of varying degrees is detected, Bluetooth operating parameters can be adjusted to improve Bluetooth operation performance, such as increasing operating range. In one example, transmit power can be increased to a higher level while remaining within regulatory limits (which may vary depending on the UE's country) to increase Bluetooth BT operating range. In the US, transmit power can be increased from the default of 7.5 dBm to 16.5 dBm, and in the UK, it can be increased from the default of 7.5 dBm to 14.5 dBm. In another example, antenna diversity can be enabled to increase Bluetooth BT operating range. In yet another example, the data rate can be reduced from the default of 2 Mbps to, for example, 1 Mbps or 256 kbps to increase operating range. In yet another example, the ranging interval can be increased to, for example, 15 ms, 30 ms, 120 ms, etc.

[0040] Bluetooth congestion levels can be analyzed based on various metrics that can be determined by the UE. In one implementation, crowd density can be estimated by locally scanning the number of Bluetooth devices. In one example, a crowd density of fewer than 100 Bluetooth devices indicates a non-congested environment. In another example, a crowd density of 250 Bluetooth devices indicates a moderately congested environment. In yet another example, a crowd density of more than 500 devices indicates a highly congested environment. The number of Bluetooth devices described above to indicate various congestion levels is an example, and different numbers of Bluetooth devices near the UE can be interpreted in various ways in combination with other metrics.

[0041] In another example implementation, visibility can be detected based on the analysis of the line-of-sight (LoS) and / or no-loS (nLoS) link budget. In one example, the shape of the link margin time series can be analyzed. Figure 4a A graph 400 showing the time series of the link budget (LoS) is provided. In this example, the LoS curve is stable, indicating that the default values ​​are acceptable. Figure 4b A graph 410 showing the time series of the nLoS link budget is presented. In this example, the nLoS curve shows some variance, which may indicate that a boost value should be used.

[0042] When selecting operational parameters for BT discovery, the decision-making process may consider crowd density, visibility, and maximum permissible BT transmission power (subject to regulatory restrictions). BT-related metrics may indicate that certain parameters should be adjusted, while others can remain at their default values.

[0043] Figure 5 A flowchart 500 is shown for selecting Bluetooth operating parameters for the discovery mechanism to trigger UWB ranging, according to various example implementations. In 502, the UE measures the Bluetooth signal strength. In 504, the UE detects the Bluetooth signal strength. In 506, the UE's BT controller checks the BT signal strength against a lookup table to determine if the default operating parameters are available for BT discovery. If the signal strength is sufficient, the BT controller initiates the BT discovery process (532) with the default values. If the signal strength is insufficient, in 508, the UE initiates a decision process to adjust the BT operating parameters.

[0044] In 510, the UE estimates crowd density by scanning the number of BT devices locally based on BT announcements sent / responded. In 512, the UE measures the BT receive channel to determine link margins, including LoS and nLoS, over time. In 514, the UE checks the core phone to look for the country code, such as US or UK.

[0045] Based on the decision process in 508, in 516, the UE performs an optimization process to adjust the operating parameters used for BT discovery. In 518, the UE considers enabling or disabling antenna diversity. In 520, the UE considers the data rate. In 522, the UE considers the BT transmit power, which can be increased to 16.5 dBm in some countries (524) or to 14.5 dBm in others (526). In 528, the UE considers the ranging interval.

[0046] In step 530, the UE determines the BT operating parameters used for discovery. In step 532, the UE sends a discovery signal.

[0047] Regarding the optimization process described in 516 above, it should be noted that this process can vary depending on the type of device involved in the ranging process (e.g., mobile phone, watch, other types of peripheral devices). In one example implementation, when both the finding device and the target device are mobile phones, only the Tx power can be adjusted (within regulatory limits) to improve the operating range. Antenna diversity can remain disabled, and the data rate and ranging interval can remain at their default values.

[0048] In another example implementation, when one or both of the finder and target devices lack cellular connectivity (e.g., in locations with poor cellular coverage, or if the device is a watch or other peripheral device without cellular capabilities), and particularly when the maximum Tx power is 14.5 dBm (based on regulatory restrictions), the data rate can be reduced to increase Bluetooth operating range. For example, a data rate of 256 kbps or 1 Mbps can be used (e.g., based on negotiation at the chipset layer). Antenna diversity can remain disabled, and the ranging interval can remain at its default value. The Tx power can be increased to its maximum value, or it can remain at its default value.

[0049] In another example implementation, when one of the finding or target devices lacks cellular capabilities and power limitations (e.g., a peripheral device with limited battery power), and the other device is a mobile phone, antenna diversity can be enabled for the mobile phone, and the ranging interval can be increased. For example, a ranging interval of 120 ms can be used. Antenna diversity can be enabled for the mobile phone, which is triggered when the location determination application is open.

[0050] In another example implementation, when the lookup device is in motion, the data rate can be adjusted based on whether the lookup device is moving towards or away from the target device. If the lookup device is moving towards the target device, the data rate can be higher, for example, 1 Mbps. If the lookup device is moving away from the target device, the data rate can be lower, for example, 256 kbps.

[0051] Figure 6 An example network arrangement 600 according to various example implementations is shown. The example network arrangement 600 includes UEs 610 and 612. UEs 610 and 612 can be any type of electronic component configured to communicate via a network, such as mobile phones, tablets, desktop computers, smartphones, embedded devices, wearable devices (e.g., HMDs, AR glasses, etc.), Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc. A real network arrangement can include any number of UEs used by any number of users. Therefore, the examples of two UEs 610 and 612 are provided for illustrative purposes only.

[0052] UEs 610 and 612 can communicate directly with one or more networks. In the example of network configuration 600, the networks with which UEs 610 and 612 can communicate wirelessly are 5G NR radio access network (5G NR-RAN) 620, LTE radio access network (LTE-RAN) 622, and wireless local area access network (WLAN) 624. However, UEs 610 and 612 can also communicate with other types of networks (e.g., wide area network (WAN)), and UEs 610 and 612 can also communicate with networks via wired connections. Therefore, UEs 610 and 612 may include a 5G NR chipset communicating with 5G NR-RAN 620, an LTE chipset communicating with LTE-RAN 622, and an ISM chipset communicating with WLAN 624.

[0053] 5G NR-RAN 620 and LTE-RAN 622 can be parts of cellular networks that can be deployed by network operators (e.g., Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.). These networks 620, 622 can include, for example, cells or base stations (Node B, evolved Node B (eNode B), home eNB (HeNB), next-generation Node B (gNB), gNode B, macro cell, micro cell, small cell, femtocell, etc.) configured to transmit and receive services to and from UEs equipped with appropriate cellular chipsets. WLAN 624 can include any type of wireless local area network (WiFi, hotspot, IEEE 802.11x network, etc.).

[0054] UEs 610 and 612 can connect to the 5G NR-RAN via gNB 620A or gNB 620B. Reference to the two gNBs 620A and 620B is for illustrative purposes only. The example implementation can be applied to any suitable number of gNBs. UEs 610 and 612 can also connect to the LTE-RAN 622 via eNBs 622A and 622B. Any association procedure can be performed for UEs 610 and 612 to connect to the 5G NR-RAN 620 and LTE-RAN 622. For example, as described above, the 5G NR-RAN 620 and LTE-RAN 622 can be associated with a specific cellular provider where UEs 610, 612, and / or their users have (e.g., stored on a SIM card) contract and credential information. Upon detecting the presence of 5G NR-RAN 620, UEs 610 and 612 can send corresponding credential information to associate with 5G NR-RAN 620. More specifically, UEs 610 and 612 can be associated with a specific base station (e.g., gNB 620A of 5G NR-RAN 620, eNB 622A of LTE-RAN 622).

[0055] In addition to networks 620, 622, and 624, network deployment 600 also includes a cellular core network 630, an Internet 640, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) 650, and a network service backbone 660. The cellular core network 630 can be viewed as a set of interconnected components managing the operation and services of the cellular network. The cellular core network 630 also manages the services flowing between the cellular network and the Internet 640. The IMS 650 can generally be described as an architecture for delivering multimedia services to UEs 610 and 612 using IP protocols. The IMS 650 can communicate with the cellular core network 630 and the Internet 640 to provide multimedia services to UEs 610 and 612. The network service backbone 660 communicates directly or indirectly with the Internet 640 and the cellular core network 630. The network service backbone 660 can generally be described as a collection of components (e.g., servers, network storage deployments, etc.) that implement a set of services that can be used to extend the functionality of UEs 610 and 612 to communicate with various networks.

[0056] Figure 7 Example UE 610 according to various example implementations is shown. (Refer to...) Figure 6 The network layout 600 is used to describe UE 610. UE 610 may include a processor 705, a memory layout 710, a display device 715, an input / output (I / O) device 720, a transceiver 725, and other components 730. Other components 730 may include, for example, audio input devices, audio output devices, power supplies, data acquisition devices, ports for electrically connecting UE 610 to other electronic devices, etc.

[0057] The processor 705 may be configured to execute multiple engines of the UE 610. For example, the engines may include a Bluetooth discovery engine 735, which performs various operations related to performing Bluetooth discovery operations to trigger UWB ranging, as described above. The engines may also include an IDS (Internet Discovery Service) engine 740, which performs various operations related to performing internet-based discovery operations to trigger UWB ranging, as described above.

[0058] The engines 735 and 740 mentioned above, provided as applications (e.g., programs) executed by processor 705, are for illustrative purposes only. The functionality associated with engines 735 and 740 may also be represented as separate combined components of UE 610, or as modular components coupled to UE 610, such as integrated circuits with or without firmware. For example, the integrated circuit may include input circuitry for receiving signals and processing circuitry for processing signals and other information. These engines may also be embodied as one application or multiple separate applications. Furthermore, in some UEs, the functionality described for processor 705 is split between two or more processors, such as a baseband processor and an application processor. Example implementations may be implemented according to any of these or other configurations of the UE.

[0059] Memory arrangement 710 may be a hardware component configured to store data related to operations performed by UE 610. Display device 715 may be a hardware component configured to display data to a user, while I / O device 720 may be a hardware component enabling a user to input data. Display device 715 and I / O device 720 may be separate components or may be integrated together (such as a touchscreen).

[0060] Transceiver 725 may be a hardware component configured to establish a wireless connection with one or more networks or with one or more other wireless communication devices. The transceiver may be configured to operate using more than one radio access technology. Therefore, transceiver 725 may operate on a variety of different frequencies or channels (e.g., a set of consecutive frequencies) to communicate with networks and / or other wireless communication devices. The transceiver may be configured to operate using a short-range communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth). Transceiver 725 may include separate transceiver circuitry for each of the corresponding types of wireless connectivity, radio access technologies, and / or operating frequency ranges. The transceiver may include transceiver circuitry configured to operate using Bluetooth communication. Transceiver 725 includes circuitry configured to transmit and / or receive signals (e.g., control signals, data signals). Such signals may be encoded using information implementing any of the methods described herein. Processor 705 is operatively coupled to transceiver 725 and configured to receive signals from and / or transmit signals to transceiver 725. The processor 705 can be configured to encode and / or decode signals for implementation of any of the methods described herein.

[0061] Example In a first embodiment, a method includes: initiating an operation for locating a target device; transmitting a Bluetooth discovery signal for detecting proximity of the target device using a first transceiver circuit; transmitting a discovery message to the target device via a network connection using a second transceiver circuit at substantially the same time as the Bluetooth discovery signal; detecting a Bluetooth discovery response or a response to the discovery message from the target device; and triggering an ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operation based on the detection of the Bluetooth discovery response or the response to the discovery message.

[0062] In the second embodiment, according to the method in the first embodiment, the method further includes: determining the GPS location of the target device before sending the discovery message.

[0063] In the third embodiment, according to the method of the second embodiment, the method further includes: determining, based on the GPS location, that the target device is within a predefined range of the UE or is within the predefined range of the UE at the nearest available GPS location.

[0064] In the fourth embodiment, according to the method of the first embodiment, the discovery message is delivered to the target device via the Internet.

[0065] In a fifth embodiment, according to the method of the first embodiment, the method further includes: determining one or more metrics related to Bluetooth congestion, and when the one or more metrics indicate a congested Bluetooth environment, increasing the transmission power of the first transceiver circuit for transmitting the Bluetooth discovery signal, wherein the first transmission power is used to transmit the Bluetooth discovery signal in a non-congested Bluetooth environment, and a second transmission power greater than the first transmission power is used to transmit the Bluetooth discovery signal in the congested Bluetooth environment.

[0066] In the sixth embodiment, according to the method of the fifth embodiment, the method further includes: determining the country code via a core telephone, and determining the second transmission power based on the country code.

[0067] In the seventh embodiment, according to the method of the sixth embodiment, wherein when the country code indicates the United States, the first transmit power is 7.5 dBm and the second transmit power is 15 dBm.

[0068] In the eighth embodiment, according to the method of the sixth embodiment, wherein when the country code indicates Europe, the first transmit power is 7.5 dBm and the second transmit power is 12 dBm.

[0069] In the ninth embodiment, according to the method of the fifth embodiment, the one or more metrics include a crowd density metric determined by locally scanning the number of Bluetooth devices within the range of the UE.

[0070] In a tenth embodiment, a processor is configured to perform any one of the methods described according to the first to ninth embodiments.

[0071] In the eleventh embodiment, a user equipment (UE) is configured to perform any one of the methods described according to the first to ninth embodiments.

[0072] In the twelfth embodiment, a wireless communication device is configured to perform any one of the methods described according to the first to ninth embodiments.

[0073] Those skilled in the art will understand that the example embodiments described above can be implemented with any suitable software or hardware configuration or combination thereof. Example hardware platforms for implementing the example embodiments may include, for example, Intel x86-based platforms with compatible operating systems, Windows OS, Mac platforms and MAC OS, and mobile devices with operating systems such as iOS and Android. The example embodiments described above can be embodied as programs containing lines of code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, when compiled, can be executed on a processor or microprocessor.

[0074] Although this application describes various embodiments that have different features in various combinations, those skilled in the art will understand that any feature of one embodiment can be combined with features of other embodiments in any way that is not expressly denied or that is not functionally or logically inconsistent with the operation of the device or the specified function of the disclosed embodiment.

[0075] As described above, one aspect of this technology involves collecting and using data from specific and lawful sources to improve the delivery of inspirational or other content that may be of interest to users. This disclosure contemplates that, in some instances, the collected data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to identify specific individuals. Such personal information data may include demographic data, location-based data, online identifiers, telephone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, data or records related to a user's health or fitness level (e.g., vital sign measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other personal information.

[0076] This disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data in the present invention's techniques can be used to benefit users.

[0077] This disclosure anticipates that entities responsible for collecting, analyzing, disclosing, transmitting, storing, or otherwise using such personal information data will comply with established privacy policies and / or privacy practices. Specifically, it is expected that such entities will implement and consistently apply privacy practices generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for protecting user privacy. Such information regarding the use of personal data should be highlighted and easily accessible to users, and should be updated as the collection and / or use of data changes. Users' personal information should be collected only for lawful use. Furthermore, such collection / sharing should only occur after receiving user consent or other lawful grounds provided for in applicable law. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any necessary steps to protect and safeguard the right to access such personal information data and to ensure that other entities with access to personal information data comply with the privacy policies and procedures of other entities. Moreover, such entities may subject themselves to third-party assessments to demonstrate their compliance with widely accepted privacy policies and practices. Furthermore, policies and practices should be tailored to the specific types of personal information data collected and / or accessed, and made applicable to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations that may be applied to impose higher standards. For example, in the United States, the collection or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and / or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); while health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly.

[0078] Regardless of the foregoing, this disclosure also contemplates implementation schemes for users to selectively block the use or access to personal information data. That is, this disclosure contemplates providing hardware and / or software components to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, the technology of this invention can be configured to allow users to opt-in or opt-out at any time during or after registering for a service. In addition to providing "opt-in" and "opt-out" options, this disclosure also contemplates providing notifications related to access to or use of personal information. For example, users may be notified when downloading an application that their personal information data will be accessed, and then reminded again just before the application accesses the personal information data.

[0079] Furthermore, the intent of this disclosure is that personal information data should be managed and processed in a manner that minimizes the risk of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Once data is no longer needed, this risk can be minimized by restricting data collection and deleting data. Additionally, and where applicable, including in certain health-related applications, data deidentification can be used to protect user privacy. Deidentification can be facilitated, where appropriate, by removing identifiers, controlling the amount or specificity of stored data (e.g., collecting location data at the city level rather than the address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data among users), and / or other methods (such as differentiated privacy).

[0080] Therefore, while this disclosure broadly covers the use of personal information data to implement one or more of the various disclosed embodiments, it also contemplates that various embodiments can be implemented without access to such personal information data. That is, various embodiments of the present invention will not become inoperable due to the absence of all or part of such personal information data. For example, content can be selected and delivered to the user based on aggregated non-personal information data or an absolute minimum amount of personal information, such as content processed solely on the user's device or other non-personal information available for content delivery services.

[0081] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to this disclosure without departing from its spirit or scope. Therefore, this disclosure is intended to cover modifications and variations thereof, provided they fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a processing circuit configured to: Initiate an operation to locate the target device; Generate a Bluetooth discovery signal for detecting the proximity of the target device and send it to the target device; A discovery message is generated and sent to the target device via a network connection at substantially the same time as the Bluetooth discovery signal. Detecting a Bluetooth discovery response from the target device or a response to the discovery message; and The ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operation is triggered based on the detection of the Bluetooth discovery response or the response to the discovery message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Before sending the discovery message, the GPS location of the target device is determined.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: The target device is determined to be within the UE's predefined range based on the GPS location, or within the UE's predefined range at the nearest available GPS location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discovery message is delivered to the target device via the Internet.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: Determine one or more metrics related to Bluetooth congestion; and When one or more metrics indicate a congested Bluetooth environment, the transmit power of a first transceiver circuit used to transmit the Bluetooth discovery signal is increased, wherein the first transmit power is used to transmit the Bluetooth discovery signal in a non-congested Bluetooth environment, and a second transmit power greater than the first transmit power is used to transmit the Bluetooth discovery signal in the congested Bluetooth environment.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: The country code is determined via the core telephone line; and The second transmission power is determined based on the country code.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when the country code indicates the United States, the first transmit power is 7.5 dBm and the second transmit power is 15 dBm.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when the country code indicates Europe, the first transmit power is 7.5 dBm and the second transmit power is 12 dBm.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more metrics include a crowd density metric determined by locally scanning the number of Bluetooth devices within the range of the UE.

10. A method, the method comprising: Initiate an operation to locate the target device; The first transceiver circuit is used to send a Bluetooth discovery signal for detecting the proximity of the target device; A second transceiver circuit is used to send a discovery message to the target device via a network connection at substantially the same time as the Bluetooth discovery signal. Detecting a Bluetooth discovery response from the target device or a response to the discovery message; and The ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operation is triggered based on the detection of the Bluetooth discovery response or the response to the discovery message.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: Before sending the discovery message, the GPS location of the target device is determined.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: The target device is determined to be within a predefined range of the user equipment (UE) based on the GPS location, or within the predefined range of the UE at the nearest available GPS location.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the discovery message is delivered to the target device via the Internet.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising: Determine one or more metrics related to Bluetooth congestion; as well as When one or more metrics indicate a congested Bluetooth environment, the transmit power of the first transceiver circuit used to transmit the Bluetooth discovery signal is increased, wherein the first transmit power is used to transmit the Bluetooth discovery signal in a non-congested Bluetooth environment, and a second transmit power greater than the first transmit power is used to transmit the Bluetooth discovery signal in the congested Bluetooth environment.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: The country code is determined via the core telephone line; as well as The second transmission power is determined based on the country code.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein when the country code indicates the United States, the first transmit power is 7.5 dBm and the second transmit power is 15 dBm.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein when the country code indicates Europe, the first transmit power is 7.5 dBm and the second transmit power is 12 dBm.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more metrics include a crowd density metric determined by locally scanning the number of Bluetooth devices within the range of the user equipment (UE).

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