Use of secondary sensor measurement as basis to control use of ultra-wideband ranging

Abstract

A method and system to control use of ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging by a device that has a UWB communication interface and at least one non-UWB sensor. The device may use the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish a first measurement of a change in pose of the device from a first pose to a second pose, and the device may use the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish a second measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose. The device may further compare the first measurement with the second measurement and establish based on the comparison a level of UWB-ranging confidence. Further, the device may use the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device.

Description

Use of Secondary Sensor Measurement as Basis to Control Use of Ultra- Wideband RangingBACKGROUND

[0001] An electronic device may be equipped with ranging technology that enables the device to determine how far away from the device another device is located, and perhaps where the other device is positioned (e.g., an orientation of the distance). This ranging technology may help facilitate various useful features.

[0002] For example, the ranging technology may help facilitate person-to-person meetups, such as helping to guide users toward each other. More particularly, a first user’s device may apply ranging to determine how far away a second user’s device is located and to determine an angle at which the second user’s device is located in relation to an orientation of the first user’s device. Based on the results of that ranging, the first user’s device may then present on a display, for the first user to see, a graphical depiction of distance and direction to the second user’s device, and the first user may then conveniently use that graphical depiction as a basis to move closer to the second user.

[0003] As another example, the ranging technology may help facilitate unlocking of a secure system. For instance, a user’s device may include a digital key that enables unlocking of a secure system such as a car or a house and that is configured to unlock the secure system only if and when the secure system is close enough to the user’s device, such as that the secure system is positioned within a predefined threshold short distance from the user’s device. In that case, the user’s device may apply ranging to determine how close the secure system is to the user’s device and, responsive to determining from that ranging that the secure system is close enough to the user’s device, may then allow use of the digital key to unlock the secure system.

[0004] Other examples are possible as well.

[0005] One ranging technology that is of particular interest is ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging. UWB ranging, which may operate in the radio frequency (RF) band of 3.1 Gigahertz (GHz) to 10.6 GHz, makes use of very short RF pulses transmitted over a very wide frequency bandwidth, to facilitate highly accurate distance and / or position determination based on an evaluation of time-of-flight (ToF) of those pulses.

[0006] For instance, an example implementation of UWB ranging may involve transmitting UWB pulses that are each on the order of 2 nanoseconds (ns) in duration over achannel bandwidth on the order of 500 Megahertz (MHz), and measuring the ToF of those pulses in order to determine, based on the speed of light, the distance between the transmitting device and the receiving device with an accuracy on the order of centimeters.

[0007] Further, the example implementation may also involve determining an angle of arrival or angle (AoA) or angle of departure (AoD) of these UWB pulses or associated UWB signaling as a representation of direction between transmitting and receiving devices. For instance, if the receiving device is equipped with a receive-antenna array having multiple receive antennas in an antenna plane, the UWB ranging may involve calculating a difference in phase of each of at least one of the UWB pulses as received at different ones of those receive antennas, and using that calculated phase difference as a basis to estimate an AoA representing the direction in relation to the antenna plane.

[0008] To facilitate UWB ranging between devices, the devices may first engage in a discovery process to learn that they are in close enough proximity to each other, and the devices may also agree on certain UWB parameters that they will use for the UWB ranging process.

[0009] For instance, if the devices are equipped with Bluetooth radios that support the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol, one device may advertise its presence by repeatedly broadcasting an advertising message on certain predefined BLE channels, and the other device may regularly scan for presence of such BLE advertising messages on that channel and may detect the broadcast as an indication that the devices are close enough to each other. In response, the devices may then engage in further BLE signaling with each other to establish a BLE connection with each other. Through that BLE connection, the devices may then agree on UWB ranging parameters such as what UWB channel, session ID, encryption key, and modulation scheme they will use for their UWB communication.

[0010] The devices may then start to engage in UWB ranging with each other. For instance, one device may start transmitting UWB pulses on an agreed UWB channel, and the other device may start scanning for those UWB pulses and, upon detecting the UWB pulses, may measure ToF and AoA of those pulses, as a basis to determine the distance and direction between the devices.SUMMARY

[0011] In general, UWB ranging may be highly accurate and may therefore be well suited to facilitate various services, such as those noted above among others.

[0012] For instance, UWB ranging may work well to facilitate guiding a first user toward a second user. By way of example, the first user’s device may engage in UWB ranging with the second user’s device to determine, with relatively high accuracy, a distance and direction to the second user’s device, and the first user’s device may present to the first user a graphical user interface (GUI) depicting relative position of the second user’s device and an arrow pointing toward that position, to help guide the first user toward the second user. Further, the devices may repeatedly carry out this UWB ranging process with each other as the first user moves and, with each instance of UWB ranging, the first user’s device may update the GUI presentation to continue to guide the first user toward the second user.

[0013] Unfortunately, however, some technological problems may exist with UWB ranging. For instance, depending on the radio frequency (RF) environment, there may be some variability and noise in UWB signaling, which may create errors in UWB ranging. Further, the receiving device’s RF field of view for receiving UWB pulses may be relatively narrow and therefore limited, also giving rise to possible errors in the UWB ranging. Still further, when the receiving device receives UWB pulse transmissions, there may be ambiguity as to whether those transmissions came from the front of the device or rather from the back of the device or the like, which may also cause errors in the UWB ranging.

[0014] Optimally, in scenarios where UWB ranging may produce relatively uncertain readings, it may be useful to limit use of the UWB ranging. For instance, in scenarios where UWB ranging results may be relatively uncertain, it may be best to not use those UWB ranging results as a basis for carrying out a service such as those noted above among other possibilities, or to otherwise limit reliance on the UWB ranging results. Alternatively, in scenarios where ranging results may be relatively uncertain, it may be best to not engage in UWB ranging or to otherwise limit use of UWB ranging.

[0015] As a specific example, for instance, when a first user’s device is repeatedly engaging in UWB ranging with a second user’s device to facilitate continuously updating a GUI that directs the first user toward the second user as discussed above, if certain instances of that UWB ranging may produce relatively uncertain results distance and / or direction measurements, it may be useful to filter out those particular measurements from the process, such as by not using those particular measurements as a basis to update the guidance, or perhaps to give relatively little weight to those results. Further, it may be useful in that situation to use other ranging technology instead and / or to give more weight to the results of other ranging technology instead. Other examples are possible as well.

[0016] The present disclosure provides a technological mechanism to help gauge a level of confidence in UWB ranging, as a basis in turn to control use of the UWB ranging.

[0017] In accordance with the disclosure, a device could make use of measurement by one or more non-UWB sensors of the device (i.e., one or more sensors that do not use UWB signaling) as a basis to gauge a level of confidence in the device’s UWB ranging (i.e., ranging that uses UWB signaling), and the device could use that determined level of confidence in its UWB ranging as a basis to control the device’s use of UWB ranging.

[0018] This process could be keyed to change in pose of the device, such as a change in position and / or orientation of the device. For instance, when the device’s pose changes, the process could involve the device (i) determining its change in pose by using UWB ranging, (ii) determining its change in pose by using one or more non-UWB sensors, (iii) comparing the change in pose determined by using UWB ranging with the change in pose determined by using the one or more non-UWB sensors, and (iv) using that comparison as a basis to establish a level of confidence in the device’s UWB ranging, and in turn as a basis to control the device’s use of the UWB ranging.

[0019] Optimally, an operating system of the device could make use of sensor data from one or more non-UWB sensors, possibly a combination of such non-UWB sensors, as a basis to generate a confidence metric for UWB ranging by the device, and the operating system could make this confidence metric available for use by applications and services running the device, as a basis to control their reliance on UWB ranging.

[0020] This may help improve operating efficiency of the device. For instance, applications and services running on the device may make use of the confidence metric as a basis to control whether and to what extent to have the device engage in UWB ranging. At times when UWB-ranging confidence is particularly low, the applications and services may respond to that low UWB-ranging confidence by minimizing their requests to the operating system to perform UWB ranging (e.g., by requesting UWB ranging less frequently), which may help minimize the extent to which the device would engage in UWB ranging when the results of that UWB ranging may be questionable. Whereas, at times when UWB-ranging confidence is particularly high, applications and services may respond to that high UWB- ranging confidence by increasing (or not minimizing) their requests to the operating system to perform UWB ranging (e.g., by requesting UWB ranging more frequently), to benefit from the higher confidence ranging results.

[0021] In addition, in some implementations, the operating system itself may make use of these UWB confidence metrics, to accommodate the needs or status of applications or services running on the device, among other possibilities. For instance, if the operating system receives from an application a request to engage in ranging with a high level of precision or accuracy, the operating system may use the operating system’s determined level of UWB - ranging confidence as a basis to respond to that request. By way of example, if and when the operating system finds that UWB-ranging confidence is at least as high as a predefined threshold level, the operating system may invoke UWB ranging in response to the application request. Whereas, if and when the operating system finds that UWB-ranging confidence is at least as low as a predefined low threshold, the operating system may avoid invoking UWB ranging in response to the application request and may instead use another form of ranging in response. Thus, the operating system may use this process as a basis to conserve technical resources, such as UWB ranging resources, when appropriate.

[0022] Further, in accordance with the disclosure, a computing system could use machine learning as a basis to establish a weighted combination of non-UWB sensors that could be used in this process as a reliable point of comparison for gauging the level of confidence in UWB ranging. For instance, the computing system could train a machinelearning model based on the results of using a given group of non-UWB sensor readings to produce reliable pose and / or change of pose readings, and the computing system could then use the trained machine-learning model as a basis to predict that a particular weighted combination of a subset of that group of non-UWB sensors would likely also suffice to reliably determine pose or change of pose. The computing system could then provide that prediction as a basis to configure a device to use that particular weighted combination of the subset of the group of non-UWB sensors as a point of comparison for gauging UWB-ranging confidence.

[0023] Accordingly, in one respect, disclosed is a method to control use of UWB ranging by a device, where the device has a UWB communication interface and the device has at least one non-UWB sensor. The method includes the device using the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish a first measurement of a change in pose of the device from a first pose to a second pose, with the establishing of the first measurement not involving use of the at least one non-UWB sensor. Further, the method includes the device using the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish a second measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose, with the establishing of the second measurement not involving use of the UWB communication interface. In addition, the method includes thedevice comparing the first measurement with the second measurement, the device establishing based on the comparison a level of UWB-ranging confidence, and the device using the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device.

[0024] In another respect, disclosed is a device having a UWB communication interface, at least one non-UWB sensor, at least one processor, at least one non-transitory data storage, and program instructions stored in the at least one non-transitory data storage and executable by the at least one processor to cause the device to carry out operations for controlling use of UWB ranging by the device. The operations include using the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish a first measurement of a change in pose of the device from a first pose to a second pose, with the establishing of the first measurement not involving use of the at least one non-UWB sensor. Further, the operations include using the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish a second measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose, with the establishing of the second measurement not involving use of the UWB communication interface. In addition, the operations include comparing the first measurement with the second measurement, establishing based on the comparison a level of UWB-ranging confidence, and using the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device.

[0025] In yet another respect, disclosed is at least one non-transitory computer- readable medium having stored thereon program instructions executable by at least one processor of a device to cause the device to carry out operations such as those described above.

[0026] In still another respect, disclosed is a system that includes various means for carrying out each of the operations described herein.

[0027] These, as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with reference where appropriate to the accompanying drawings. Further, it should be understood that the descriptions provided in this summary and below are intended to illustrate the invention by way of example only and not by way of limitation.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is a simplified illustration of example distance and angle measurements as between two example devices.

[0029] Figure 2 is a simplified representation of example UWB pulse transmission and distance determination.

[0030] Figure 3 A is a simplified illustration of change in angle of arrival in view of device rotation.

[0031] Figure 3B is a simplified illustration of a front / back ambiguity issue with UWB ranging.

[0032] Figure 4 is a simplified illustration of a trigonometric analysis based on UWB-ranging results.

[0033] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example method.

[0034] Figure 6 is a simplified block diagram of an example device.

[0035] Figure 7 is a simplified diagram illustrating a training phase and an inference phase of one or more trained machine learning models.

[0036] Figure 8 is a simplified block diagram of an example computing system.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Example methods, devices, and systems are described herein. It should be understood, however, that any disclosed embodiment is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments unless stated as such. Further, it should be understood that variations from the specific arrangements and processes disclosed are possible. For instance, various disclosed entities, components, connections, operations, and other elements could be added, omitted, distributed, replicated, re-located, re-ordered, combined, or changed in other ways. In addition, it will be understood that various disclosed technical operations could be implemented at least in part by a processing unit programmed to carry out the operations or to cause one or more other entities to carry out the operations.

[0038] As noted above, ranging between devices may involve determining a distance and / or direction between the devices, and possibly thereby determining the relative position of one device in relation to another. For instance, given a first device and a second device, ranging could involve determining a distance between the physical positions of the first device and the second device and / or determining an angular orientation of one of the devices in a Cartesian or polar coordinate system defined in relation to a physical position and orientation of the other device.

[0039] Figure 1 illustrates examples of distance and direction between a first device 100 and a second device 102. In practice, the first device 100 in this arrangement may engagein ranging with or in relation to the second device 102 to determine distance and / or direction between the first device 100 and the second device 102. This ranging may occur when the first device 100 and second device 102 are stationary in relation to each other and / or when the first device 100 and second device 102 are in motion in relation to each other (e.g., when the first device 100 is moving in relation to the second device 102 and / or when the second device 102 is moving in relation to the first device 100).

[0040] The first and second devices 100, 102 in this scenario could take any of a variety of forms. Without limitation, examples include cell phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, gaming devices, wearable devices, package-tracking devices, vehicles, doors, livestock-tracking devices, appliances, wirelessly equipped key fobs, and / or Internet-of-Things (loT) or other machine-to-machine (M2M) devices.

[0041] In some implementations, the first device 100 may have a user interface, such as a display screen or other interface, through which it may be configured to present results of its ranging. For instance, the first device 100 may be configured to present on a display screen a numerical value or other indication of its determined distance from the second device 102. Alternatively or additionally, the first device 100 may be configured to present on a display screen a determined relative position of the second device 102 and / or an arrow pointing toward a determined relative position of the second device 102, which may enable a user of the first device 100 to approach the location of the second device 102 if applicable. Alternatively, ranging results may be used in another manner and may be provided to another entity for presentation and / or processing.

[0042] Further, in some implementations, the first device 100 may engage in the ranging repeatedly. For instance, to facilitate a friend-finder application, the first device 100 may periodically determine distance and / or direction to the second device 102 and present the results of this ranging. In addition, the first device 100 may vary the periodicity of this ranging, such as by ranging more frequently as the distance between it and the second device 102 decreases (i.e., as the first device 100 moves closer to the second device 102, and / or as the second device 102 moves closer to the first device 100).

[0043] As noted above, ranging could be conducted using UWB communication.

[0044] By international standard, an antenna transmission is considered to be UWB if its emitted signal bandwidth exceeds the lesser of 500 MHz or 20% of its center frequency. (Some implementations also consider an antenna transmission to be UWB if its emitted signal bandwidth equals 500 MHz.) With the example UWB frequency band that extends from 3.1GHz to 10.6 GHz, for instance, communications may thus be considered to be UWB if their emitted frequency bandwidth is greater than 500 MHz.

[0045] To facilitate UWB ranging between the first device 100 and the second device 102, each device could be equipped with a UWB communication interface, which could include a UWB radio and an associated antenna structure (e.g., an antenna array), configured to transmit and / or receive UWB signals. Further, each device may have an operating system that may control use of the UWB communication interface and may provide an application programming interface (API) through which an application may request ranging service and receive ranging results, among other possibilities.

[0046] UWB ranging between the first device 100 and the second device 102 could involve UWB pulse transmissions from the second device 102 to the first device 100, with the first device 100 evaluating those pulse transmissions to determine distance between the devices and / or the direction between the devices. Alternatively, UWB ranging between the first device 100 and the second device 102 could involve UWB pulse transmissions from the first device 100 to the second device 102, with the second device 102 evaluating those pulse transmissions to determine distance between the devices and / or the direction between the devices.

[0047] The devices could coordinate this process through an out-of-band BLE session or in another manner. Further, the devices could share the results of their UWB ranging with each other. For instance, if the first device 100 provides UWB pulse transmissions to the second device 102 and the second device 102 uses those UWB pulse transmissions as a basis to determine distance and / or direction between the devices, the second device 102 may report that determined distance and / or direction to the first device 100, to enable the first device 100 to make use of that information, such as to facilitate services like those noted above.

[0048] As a non-limiting example of UWB ranging, the second device 102 may broadcast a UWB signal composed of a sequence of UWB pulses, each spanning a UWB channel of greater than 500 MHz within the UWB band, and the first device 100 may receive those UWB pulse transmissions and evaluate ToF of the UWB pulse transmissions. For instance, this sequence of UWB pulses broadcast by the second device 102 may include a binary representation of a scrambled timestamp sequence (STS), representing the time of transmission of the sequence from the second device 102. Upon receipt of this sequence, the first device 100 may therefore determine from the sequence the time of transmission and compute ToF as the difference between the determined time of transmission and a current timeof receipt. Further, the first device 100 may use the speed of light as a basis to translate that computed ToF to a distance between the first device and the second device.

[0049] In addition, if the first device 100 is equipped with a receive-antenna array or the like, the first device 100 may also evaluate AoA of these pulse transmissions from the second device, as a representation of direction between the first device 100 and the second device 102 (e.g., the inverse of the direction from the first device 100 to the second device 102), and may thereby determine not only the distance of the second device from the first device but also the relative position of the second device 102 in relation to the first device 100.

[0050] Based on the results of this UWB ranging conducted by the first device 100 and the second device 102, the first device 100 may then take an action such as presenting a GUI that guides a user of the first device 100 to move toward the second device 102, or controlling whether to unlock a secure system associated with the second device 102, among other possibilities. In addition or alternatively, the first device 100 may share with the second device 102 the distance and / or direction determined through the UWB ranging conducted by the first device 100 and the second device 102, and the second device 102 may use the UWB ranging results as a basis to take similar action.

[0051] Figure 2 is a simplified representation of an example of UWB pulse transmission that could be used to facilitate distance determination and / or direction determination. Figure 2 depicts time along the x axis and frequency along the y axis, with neither being to scale. As shown, the second device 102 may transmit a UWB signal 200 as sequence of UWB pulses 202 each on the order of 2 ns in duration and each spanning a UWB channel 204 having a bandwidth greater than 500 MHz.

[0052] In an example implementation, the first device 100 may receive this sequence of UWB pulses, determine ToF of the UWB signal transmission, and translate the computed ToF into a measure of distance between the first device 100 and the second device 102. The first device 100 may then present the determined distance on a user interface or take other action based on the determined distance. Further, if the first device 100 has multiple receive antennas, the first device 100 may evaluate phase of the UWB pulse waveforms as received respectively at different ones of the antennas, and may accordingly determine AoA and, as the inverse of AoA, direction from the first device 100 to the second device 102. The first device 100 may then further present that determined direction on the user interface as well or take other action based on the determined direction.

[0053] Note that the example UWB ranging process described so far is a 1-way process, with UWB pulse transmission from just one device to the other and the other device computing ToF and / or AoA and thus determining distance and / or direction. UWB ranging could additionally or alternatively be conducted as a 2-way process.

[0054] With example 2-way UWB ranging, the first device 100 may broadcast a first UWB signal as a sequence of UWB pulses, and the second device 102 may receive that first UWB signal and responsively transmit to the first device 100 a second UWB signal as a sequence of UWB pulses. Upon receipt of this second UWB signal from the second device 102, the first device 100 may then determine the distance between the devices by (i) computing the duration from the first device’s transmission of the first UWB signal to the first device’s receipt of the second UWB signal, (ii) subtracting from that duration a predefined processing delay between the second device’s receipt of the first UWB signal and the second device’s transmission of the second UWB signal, (iii) dividing that difference in half to establish ToF, and (iv) translating the ToF to the distance. Further, the first device 100 may also or alternatively determine AoA and thus direction as noted above.

[0055] As further noted above, the present disclosure provides for use of non-UWB sensor technology in a device as a basis to evaluate the level of confidence in the device’s UWB ranging, which may in turn serve as a basis to control the device’s use of UWB ranging.

[0056] In an example implementation, a device that has a UWB communication interface and is configured to engage in UWB ranging may also have one or more non-UWB sensors (e.g., sensors and / or systems) that the device could use alone or in combination as a basis to sense and / or measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose without using UWB communication. These non-UWB sensors may include hardware components along with associated program logic or the like, which may also be controlled by the device’s operating system.

[0057] Some of these non-UWB sensors may enable a device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose by sensing position, orientation, and / or movement of the device itself possibly without reference to other objects in the device’s surrounding environment. Without limitation, examples of these sensors include a gyroscope (which may enable the device to sense and measure the device’ s angular or rotational velocity, acceleration, and / or orientation, and associated changes in these metrics), and accelerometer (which may enable the device to sense and measure the device’s axial velocity and acceleration and associated change in these metrics), a magnetometer (which may enable the device to senseand measure the device’s angular orientation and associated changes in orientation), and a barometer (which may enable the device to sense and measure changes in the device’s elevation).

[0058] Others of these non-UWB sensors may enable a device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose based on depth sensing or other analysis of angles and / or positions of one or more objects in the device’s surrounding environment. Without limitation, examples of these non-UWB sensors include a camera (e.g., a multi-lens camera, or multiple camera sensors) (which may enable the device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose based on angles and / or positions of one or more objects detected through optical imaging), lidar (which may enable the device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose based on angles and / or positions of one or more objects detected through lidar point-cloud imaging), radar (which may enable the device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose based on angles and / or positions of one or more objects detected through reflection of radar signals), and sonar or ultrasonic sensors (which may enable the device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose based on evaluation of angles and / or positions of one or more objects detected through reflection of sound waves).

[0059] Still others of these non-UWB sensors may enable a device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose based on signaling between the device and one or more other devices. Examples of these sensors include Bluetooth Channel Sounding systems (which may enable the device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose through evaluation of phase shift of Bluetooth tones transmitted between the device and another device on each of various Bluetooth channels) and a Global Navigation Satellite System module (which may enable the device to sense and measure the device’s pose and / or change in pose through evaluation of GNSS satellite positioning signals).

[0060] In an example implementation, the first device 100 may be configured to use various such non-UWB sensors, alone or in combination, to detect and evaluate the first device’s pose and / or change of pose. For instance, the first device 100 may use one or more non-UWB sensors as a basis to detect whether, when, and to what extent (e.g., at what speed) the first device 100 is moving from one position to another and / or is rotating.

[0061] In some implementations, this sensing may establish an operational context of the first device 100, such as that the first device 100 is being carried by a user who is walking or running or that the first device 100 is being carried by a user who is sitting or otherwise not in motion, among other possibilities. For instance, to the extent applicable, the first device 100may use an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and / or one or more depth sensors to detect movement of the first device 100 that is consistent with a walking gait or running gait, which may indicate that the first device 100 is being carried by a user who is walking or running. Alternatively, the first device 100 may use one or more such sensors to detect little if any change in pose of the first device 100, and may further detect a particular tilt or other orientation of the first device 100, which may indicate that the first device is in a pocket of a sitting user.

[0062] In line with the discussion above, when the first device 100 engages in UWB ranging as the first device 100 changes pose from a first pose to a second pose (e.g., as the first device 100 moves from one position to another and / or rotates from a first orientation to a second orientation), the first device 100 may use the UWB ranging to determine the first device’s change in pose and may also use one or more non-UWB sensors to determine the first device’s change in pose, and the first device 100 may compare those determinations as a basis to gauge a level of confidence in the first device’s UWB ranging.

[0063] For instance, if the first device 100 finds that the first device’ s change in pose that the first device 100 determined through the first device’s UWB ranging closely matches the first device’s change in pose that the first device 100 determined through the first device’s use of one or more non-UWB sensors, then, based at least on that finding, the first device may assign a relatively high level of confidence to the first device’s UWB ranging. Whereas, if the first device finds that the first device’s change in pose that the first device 100 determined through the first device’s UWB ranging does not closely match the first device’s change in pose that the first device 100 determined through the first device’s use of one or more non- UWB sensors (e.g., that those two determinations of the change in pose differ or are inconsistent with each other to at least a predefined threshold extent), then, based at least on that finding, the first device 100 may assign a relatively low level of confidence to the device’s UWB ranging.

[0064] This assignment of level of confidence to the device’s UWB ranging may be as to the device’s UWB ranging that formed a basis for this comparison. For instance, if the device engaged in two instances of UWB ranging in order to determine the device’s change in pose that the device compared with its change in pose determined through use of one or more non-UWB sensors, then the device may assign the level of confidence to either or each of those instances of UWB ranging.

[0065] Alternatively, the assignment of the level of confidence to the device’ s UWB ranging may be as to UWB ranging by the device generally in the device’s presentcircumstances. For instance, the device may assign the level of confidence to each instance of UWB ranging that the device conducts until the device determines that the device’s pose or other circumstance changes at least a predefined threshold extent (e.g., that the device moved at least a predefined threshold distance and / or rotated at least a predefined threshold angle).

[0066] Assigning a level of confidence to the first device’s UWB ranging may involve storing in data storage of the first device 100 a record of the assigned level of confidence and / or providing the assigned level of confidence to one or more application programs or other modules for use to facilitate controlling use of the device’s UWB ranging.

[0067] For instance, an operating system of the first device 100 may determine the level of confidence in the first device’s UWB ranging and may store the determined level of confidence and may make the stored level of confidence available to one or more application programs on the first device 100 for us by the one or more application programs to control an extent to which the one or more application programs rely on or make use of the first device’s UWB ranging results. For instance, the operating system may expose the determined level of UWB-ranging confidence to the one or more applications through an API or the like, to enable the one or more applications to use the determined level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to limit their reliance on or other use of UWB ranging by the device, among other possibilities.

[0068] As further noted above, a computing system could use machine learning as a basis to establish a weighted combination of non-UWB sensors that could be used in this process as a reliable point of comparison for gauging level of confidence in UWB ranging. For instance, as noted above, the computing system could train a machine-learning model based on the results of using a given group of non-UWB sensor readings to produce reliable pose and / or change of pose readings, and the computing system could then use the trained machine-learning model as a basis to predict that a particular weighted combination of a subset of that group of non-UWB sensors would likely also suffice to reliably determine pose or change of pose. That prediction could then be used as a basis to establish which one or more non-UWB sensors would be used as the point of comparison to evaluate UWB-ranging confidence.

[0069] Various examples of using one or more non-UWB sensors as a basis to gauge level of confidence in UWB ranging are possible. Without limitation, the following discussion addresses several examples.

[0070] In a first example, the first device 100 could use one or more non-UWB sensors a basis to predict that the first device 100 is being carried by a walking user, and the first device 100 could use that determination as a basis to gauge level of confidence in the firstdevice’s UWB ranging based on an assumption that the UWB ranging should establish speed of movement consistent with walking speed.

[0071] For instance, at a time when the first device 100 determines by use of one or more non-UWB sensors that the first device 100 is being carried by a user who is walking, the first device 100 may expect that speed of movement of the first device 100 would be on the order of 1 to 2 meters per second or other normal human walking speed. If, at the same time, the first device 100 determines by engaging in sequential instances of UWB ranging that the first device 100 is moving at least a predefined extent faster or slower than that expected speed of movement, then, based at least on that determination, the first device 100 may responsively assign a relatively low level of confidence to the first device’s UWB ranging, which the first device 100 may then use as a basis to control its use of the UWB ranging. Whereas, if, at the same time, the first device 100 determines by engaging in sequential instances of UWB ranging that the first device 100 is moving at the expected speed, then, based at least on that determination, the first device 100 may responsively assign a relatively high level of confidence to the first device’s UWB ranging, which the first device 100 may then use as a basis to control its use of the UWB ranging.

[0072] In a second example, the first device 100 could use one or more non-UWB sensors as a basis to determine a level of confidence in the first device’s UWB ranging based on a comparison of a UWB-based determination of change in direction with a non-UWB-based determination of change in orientation.

[0073] For instance, if the first device 100 repeatedly engages in UWB ranging with the second device to determine direction between the first device 100 and the second device 102, and if the second device’s pose remains largely unchanged (e.g., if the second device is stationary) and the first device 100 rotates by a particular angle in relation to the second device 102, then the first device 100 should detect through the UWB ranging that direction between the first device 100 and the second device 102 changes by the same angle in the opposite direction.

[0074] Figure 3A illustrates this by way of example. In the arrangement shown, when the first device 100 rotates clockwise by an angle +A° in relation to the second device 102, the first device 100 may expect that the AoA of UWB signaling that the first device 100 receives from the second device 102 should change by same extent in the opposite direction, i.e., by -A0as shown. Namely, if UWB pulses from the second device 102 continue to take the same path from the second device 102 to the first device 100, the angle of arrival of thosepulses at the first device 100 would become more acute by the same extent that the first device 100 rotates clockwise.

[0075] In an example implementation, as the first device 100 repeatedly engages in UWB ranging with the second device 102, the first device 100 could use that UWB ranging over time as a basis to measure a change in AoA of UWB signaling that the first device receives from the second device 102, i.e., as a UWB-determined change in direction between the first device 100 and the second device 102. Further, as the first device 100 engages in this UWB ranging, the first device 100 could also use a gyroscope and / or one or more other non-UWB sensors as a basis to measure a change in orientation of the first device, as a non-UWB- determined change in orientation of the first device 100.

[0076] The first device could then compute a difference between its non-UWB determined change of orientation and its UWB-determined change of direction and, based on that computed difference, could assign to the first device’s UWB measurement s) a corresponding level of confidence. For instance, the first device 100 could assign a level of confidence that is inversely proportional to the computed difference between its non-UWB- determined change of orientation and its UWB-determined change of direction. The first device 100 could then use this assigned level of confidence as a basis to control use of its UWB measurement(s), such as to filter out one or more such measurements as a basis to take action (e.g., user-facing action) and / or to limit or vary the first device’s UWB ranging process.

[0077] One possible reason for inconsistency between the first device’s UWB- determined change of direction and the first device’s non-UWB -determined change of orientation may be that the first device 100 has rotated in relation to the second device 102 such that strength or other quality of UWB signaling between the devices is poor. This may happen if either or each device’s UWB communication (e.g., UWB antenna pattern) no longer sufficiently encompasses the other device’s position.

[0078] To help address this problem, the first device 100 may further monitor the strength or other quality of its UWB signaling with the second device 102 and, as that quality degrades, an application on the first device 100 may direct a user of the first device 100 to change orientation of the first device 100 in a manner that may help to increase the UWB communication quality and associated level of confidence in UWB ranging quality. For instance, the first device 100 may track its determined level of UWB-ranging confidence at various orientations, and the application may direct the user to change the orientation of thefirst device 100 to an orientation at which the first device 100 found a relatively high level of UWB-ranging confidence.

[0079] Note also that the first device 100 could use a comparison between its non- UWB determined change of orientation and its UWB -determined change of direction as a basis to address the above-noted ambiguity as to whether UWB transmissions received by the device come from the front of the device or rather from the back of the device, among other possibilities.

[0080] Figure 3B illustrates an example scenario where this front / back ambiguity issue may arise. As shown in Figure 3B, when the first device 100 receives a UWB transmission and determines that the AoA of that UWB transmission is A0, the device may not be able to determine whether that determined AoA is with respect to the first device’s front side or rather the device’s back side.

[0081] To help resolve this ambiguity, the device could compare a change in its UWB -determined direction with a corresponding change in its non-UWB-determined orientation. For instance, in the arrangement of Figure 3B, if the first device 100 rotates counter-clockwise, the device may find through its non-UWB-sensor measurements that its angle of orientation with respect to the second device 102 increases. When so rotating, (i) if the first device 100 also finds that its UWB-determined AoA increases, then the first device 100 may reasonably conclude that the UWB signals are arriving at the first device’s front side, since the angle of incidence of those signals would increase accordingly, whereas (ii) if the first device 100 also finds that its UWB-determined AoA decreases, then the first device 100 may reasonably conclude that the UWB signal is arriving at the first device’s back side, since the angle of incidence of that signal would decrease accordingly. Optimally, the first device may use this analysis as a basis to help better use device’ s UWB measurements, such to provide improved user guidance for instance.

[0082] In a third example, the first device 100 could use one or more non-UWB sensors as a basis to determine a level of confidence in the first device’s UWB ranging based on a comparison of distance of movement established based on UWB ranging with distance of movement established based on use one or more non-UWB sensors.

[0083] This example could involve the first device 100 using UWB ranging as a basis to trigonometrically determine a distance of movement of the first device 100, and the first device 100 comparing that determined distance of movement with distance of movement that the first device establishes by use of one or more non-UWB sensors. In an idealimplementation, this example is based on an assumption that, if the first device 100 moves a particular distance while engaging in repeated UWB ranging with the second device 102, the UWB ranging may establish a change in pose trigonometrically associated with the distance of movement of the first device 100.

[0084] Figure 4 shows how this example could work in practice. As shown in Figure 4, when the first device 100 is at position Pl, the first device 100 may determine through UWB ranging with the second device 102 as a tag that (i) the distance between the first device 100 and the second device 102 is d and (ii) the direction between the first device 101 and the second device 102 (i.e., the orientation of that distance d) is a. Further, when the first device 100 then moves from position Pl to position P2, the first device 100 may determine through UWB ranging with the second device 102 that (i) the distance between the first device 100 and the second device 102 is d’ and (ii) the direction between the first device 100 and the second device 102 (i.e., the orientation of that distance d’) is a’. As shown in Figure 4, these distances d and d’ and angles a and a’ define two sides and two angles of a triangle. As a result, the first device 100 could then readily solve for the distance m of the third side of the triangle, as a UWB- ranging-based measure of the distance of movement of the first device 100 from position Pl to position P2.

[0085] Further, as the same time, the first device 100 could use one or more non- UWB sensors (e.g., an accelerometer and / or a depth sensor) to determine the first device’s distance of movement, as a non-UWB-based measure of distance of movement of the first device from position Pl to position P2. The first device 100 could then compare its non-UWB- based measure distance of movement with its UWB-ranging-based measure of distance of movement, and the first device 100 could use that comparison as a basis to assign a level of confidence to the first device’s UWB-ranging measurements (e.g., to the determinations of d’ and a’).

[0086] For instance, if this comparison shows that UWB-ranging-based measure of distance of movement is very similar to the non-UWB-based measure of distance of movement, then, based at least on that result, the first device 100 may assign a relatively high level of confidence to the first device’s UWB-ranging measurements. Whereas, if the comparison shows that the UWB-ranging-based measure of distance of movement is quite different than the non-UWB-based measure of distance of movement, then, based at least on that result, the first device 100 may assign a relatively low level of confidence to the first device’s UWB- ranging measurements.

[0087] In turn, the first device 100 may likewise use this assigned level of confidence as a basis to control use of its UWB measurement s), such as to filter out one or more such measurements as a basis to take action and / or to limit or vary the first device’ s UWB ranging process.

[0088] Note that this example could work in various planes, possibly depending on the structure of an antenna array in the first device 100 and / or other capabilities of the first device 100 and / or second device 102. For instance, the analysis discussed above and shown in Figure 4 could apply in a horizontal plane (e.g., an x-y plane). Alternatively or additionally, the analysis could apply in a vertical plane (e.g., an x-z plane), taking into account vertical movement or elevation of the first device 100.

[0089] As to elevation, for instance, the first device 100 may make use of a barometer and / or one or more other non-UWB sensors that could evaluate change in elevation of the first device 100, ultimately as a basis to establish a non-UWB-based measure of distance of movement of the first device 100. The device could then likewise compute a difference between that non-UWB-based measure of distance movement and its UWB-based measure of distance movement (in this case considering change in angular elevation and change in distance), and the device could assign to its associated UWB-ranging measurement(s) a corresponding level of confidence. Further, the device could again similarly use this level of confidence as a basis to control use of its UWB ranging.

[0090] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method that could be carried out in accordance with the present disclosure to control use of UWB ranging by a device that has a UWB communication interface and at least one non-UWB sensor. As shown in Figure 5, at block 500, the device uses the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish a first measurement of a change in pose of the device from a first pose to a second pose, with the establishing of the first measurement not involving use of the at least one non-UWB sensor. Further, at block 502, in parallel with block 500, the device uses the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish a second measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose, with the establishing of the second measurement not involving use of the UWB communication interface. At block 504, the method then involves the device comparing the first measurement with the second measurement. Further, at block 506, the method involves the device establishing, based on the comparison, a level of UWB-ranging confidence. Yet further, at block 508, the method involves the device using the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device.

[0091] In line with the discussion above, the change in pose of the device in this method could include a change in position of the device and / or a change in orientation of the device.

[0092] Further, as discussed above, the act of device using the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose could involve (a) when the device has the first pose, using the UWB communication interface as a basis to measure a first distance between the device and a target and / or a first angle of arrival of UWB signaling from the target to the device, (b) when the device has the second pose, using the UWB communication interface as a basis to measure a second distance between the device and the target and / or a second angle of arrival of UWB signaling from the target to the device, and (c) the device establishing the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose based on a difference between the first distance and the second distance and / or based on a difference between the first angle of arrival and the second angle of arrival.

[0093] As additionally discussed above, the at least one non-UWB sensor could include at least one sensor such as a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a barometer, a camera, lidar, radar, sonar, an ultrasonic sensor, a Bluetooth Channel Sounding system, and a Global Navigation Satellite System module, among other possibilities.

[0094] Further, as discussed above, the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose could include a movement of the device from a first position to a second position, in which case the first measurement of the change in pose could include a first measurement of distance of the movement, and the second measurement of the change in pose could include a second measurement of distance of the movement.

[0095] In this case, the act of the device using the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose could involve the device using the UWB communication interface as a basis to determine the first measurement of distance of the movement of the device from the first position to the second position, and the act of the device using the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish the second measurement of the change in pose of the device could involve the device using the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to determine the second measurement of distance of the movement of thedevice from the first position to the second position. Further, as noted above, the movement could include a change in elevation.

[0096] As further discussed above, the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose could include a rotation of the device from a first angular orientation to a second angular orientation.

[0097] In this case, the act of the device using the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose could involve the device using the UWB communication interface as a basis to measure change in angle of arrival at the device of UWB signaling from a target. Further, the act of the device using the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish the second measurement of the change in pose of the device could involve the device using a gyroscope in the device as a basis to determine a change in angular orientation of the device. Still further, the act of the device comparing the first measurement with the second measurement could involve comparing one of the first measurement and second measurement with an inverse of the other of the first measurement and second measurement.

[0098] In addition, as discussed above the act of the device using the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device could take various forms.

[0099] For instance, the device could use the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to limit use by the device of one or more UWB-ranging measurements by the device, possibly filtering out the measurements from an ongoing process of using UWB- ranging results (for user guidance and / or other purpose).

[0100] Alternatively or additionally, where the device’s use of its UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose is based on UWB communication between the device and a target, the act of the device using the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device could involve, based on the established level of UWB-ranging, the device guiding a further change in pose of the device as a basis to improve the UWB communication between the device and the target (e.g., directing a user to point the device more directly toward the target).

[0101] Figure 6 is a simplified block diagram of an example device that could carry out various operations described. As shown in Figure 6, the example device includes a user interface 600, a UWB communication interface 602, at least one non-UWB sensor 604, at leastone processor 606, and at least one non-transitory data storage 608, all of which may be communicatively linked together by a system bus or other connection mechanism 610 and / or may be integrated with each other wholly or partly. As for potential integration of these components, for instance, in an example implementation, the at least one processor 606 and / or at least one data storage 608 may be part of the UWB communication interface 602. Other arrangements could be possible as well.

[0102] The user interface 600, which may be provided if the device is configured to support user interaction, may include user output components 612 such as a display screen, sound speaker, and haptic interface, and user input components 614 such as a touch panel, keyboard, and microphone.

[0103] The UWB communication interface 602 may include a UWB radio 616 and a UWB antenna structure 618. The UWB radio 616 may be configured to operate in a UWB frequency band and may function to receive baseband signals and to modulate the signals onto one or more RF carriers for outbound transmission, and to receive and demodulate RF signals to uncover baseband signals. Further, the UWB antenna structure 618 may function to transmit and receive UWB air-interface communications. Examples of UWB antenna structures include coplanar-waveguide-fed or microstrip-fed UWB monopole antennas, and UWB multiple- input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna arrays, among other possibilities.

[0104] In line with the discussion above, the at least one non-UWB sensor 604 could include a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a barometer, a camera, lidar, radar, sonar, an ultrasonic sensor, a Bluetooth Channel Sounding system, and / or a GNSS module, among other possibilities.

[0105] The at least one processor 606 may comprise one or more general purpose processors (e.g., microprocessors) and / or one or more special purpose processors (e.g., digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, etc.). Further, the at least one non- transitory data storage 608 may comprise one or more volatile and / or non-volatile, removable and / or permanently situated storage components (such as magnetic, optical, flash, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.) and may be integrated in whole or in part with the at least one processor 606.

[0106] The at least one data storage 608 may then embody, encode, hold, or otherwise store program instructions 620, which could be executable by the at least one processor 606 to cause the device to carry out various device operations such as those described herein.

[0107] In an example implementation, these program instructions 620 could define an operating system of the device, which could carry out various described operations to gauge level of confidence in UWB ranging by the device. Further, the program instructions 620 could define one or more application programs that run on the device. As noted above, the operating system may then expose the determined level of UWB confidence to the one or more applications, possibly through an API or the like, to enable the one or more applications to control their reliance on UWB ranging by the device, among other possibilities.

[0108] In addition, the present disclosure also contemplates a computing system as noted above, which could apply machine learning or the like to establish a weighted combination of non-UWB sensors that could be used in the present process as a point of comparison to help gauge level of confidence in UWB ranging. This computing system could be provided in one or more devices such as those discussed above and / or in another form.

[0109] Figure 7 shows diagram 700 illustrating a training phase 702 and an inference phase 704 of trained machine learning model(s) 732, in accordance with example embodiments. Some machine learning techniques involve training one or more machine learning algorithms on an input set of training data to recognize patterns in the training data and provide output inferences and / or predictions about (patterns in the) training data. The resulting trained machine learning algorithm can be termed as a trained machine learning model. For example, Figure 7 shows training phase 702 where one or more machine learning algorithms 720 are being trained on training data 710 to become trained machine learning model 732. Producing trained machine learning model(s) 732 during training phase 702 may involve determining one or more hyperparameters, such as one or more stride values for one or more layers of a machine learning model as described herein. Then, during inference phase 704, trained machine learning model 732 can receive input data 730 and one or more inference / prediction requests 740 (perhaps as part of input data 730) and responsively provide as an output one or more inferences and / or predictions 750. The one or more inferences and / or predictions 750 may be based in part on one or more learned hyperparameters, such as one or more learned stride values for one or more layers of a machine learning model.

[0110] As such, trained machine learning model(s) 732 can include one or more models of one or more machine learning algorithms 720. Machine learning algorithm(s) 720 may include, but are not limited to: an artificial neural network (e.g., a herein-described convolutional neural networks, a recurrent neural network, a Bayesian network, a hidden Markov model, a Markov decision process, a logistic regression function, a support vectormachine, a suitable statistical machine learning algorithm, and / or a heuristic machine learning system). Machine learning algorithm(s) 720 may be supervised or unsupervised, and may implement any suitable combination of online and offline learning.

[0111] In some examples, machine learning algorithm(s) 720 and / or trained machine learning model(s) 732 can be accelerated using on-device coprocessors, such as graphic processing units (GPUs), tensor processing units (TPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), and / or application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Such on-device coprocessors can be used to speed up machine learning algorithm(s) 720 and / or trained machine learning model(s) 732. In some examples, trained machine learning model(s) 732 can be trained and executed to provide inferences on a particular computing device, and / or otherwise can make inferences for the particular computing device.

[0112] During training phase 702, machine learning algorithm(s) 720 can be trained by providing at least training data 710 as training input using unsupervised, supervised, semisupervised, and / or reinforcement learning techniques. Unsupervised learning involves providing a portion (or all) of training data 710 to machine learning algorithm(s) 720 and machine learning algorithm(s) 720 determining one or more output inferences based on the provided portion (or all) of training data 710. Supervised learning involves providing a portion of training data 710 to machine learning algorithm(s) 720, with machine learning algorithm(s) 720 determining one or more output inferences based on the provided portion of training data 710, and the output inference(s) are either accepted or corrected based on correct results associated with training data 710. In some examples, supervised learning of machine learning algorithm(s) 720 can be governed by a set of rules and / or a set of labels for the training input, and the set of rules and / or set of labels may be used to correct inferences of machine learning algorithm(s) 720.

[0113] Semi-supervised learning involves having correct results for part, but not all, of training data 710. During semi-supervised learning, supervised learning is used for a portion of training data 710 having correct results, and unsupervised learning is used for a portion of training data 710 not having correct results.

[0114] Reinforcement learning involves machine learning algorithm(s) 720 receiving a reward signal regarding a prior inference, where the reward signal can be a numerical value. During reinforcement learning, machine learning algorithm(s) 720 can output an inference and receive a reward signal in response, where machine learning algorithm(s) 720 are configured to try to maximize the numerical value of the reward signal. In some examples,reinforcement learning also utilizes a value function that provides a numerical value representing an expected total of the numerical values provided by the reward signal over time. In some examples, machine learning algorithm(s) 720 and / or trained machine learning model(s) 732 can be trained using other machine learning techniques, including but not limited to, incremental learning and curriculum learning.

[0115] In some examples, machine learning algorithm(s) 720 and / or trained machine learning model(s) 732 can use transfer learning techniques. For example, transfer learning techniques can involve trained machine learning model(s) 732 being pre-trained on one set of data and additionally trained using training data 710. More particularly, machine learning algorithm(s) 720 can be pre-trained on data from one or more computing devices and a resulting trained machine learning model provided to a computing device (such as the device of Figure 6) that may be intended to execute the trained machine learning model during inference phase 704. Then, during training phase 702, the pre-trained machine learning model can be additionally trained using training data 710. This further training of the machine learning algorithm(s) 720 and / or the pre-trained machine learning model using training data 710 of the computing device’s data can be performed using either supervised or unsupervised learning. Once machine learning algorithm(s) 720 and / or the pre-trained machine learning model has been trained on at least training data 310, training phase 702 can be completed. The trained resulting machine learning model can be used as at least one of trained machine learning model(s) 732.

[0116] In particular, once training phase 702 has been completed, trained machine learning model(s) 732 can be provided to a computing device, if not already on the computing device. Inference phase 704 can begin after trained machine learning model(s) 732 are provided to that computing device.

[0117] During inference phase 704, trained machine learning model(s) 732 can receive input data 730 and generate and output one or more corresponding inferences and / or predictions 750 about input data 730. As such, input data 730 can be used as an input to trained machine learning model(s) 732 for providing corresponding inference(s) and / or prediction(s) 750. For example, trained machine learning model(s) 732 can generate inference(s) and / or prediction(s) 750 in response to one or more inference / prediction requests 740. In some examples, trained machine learning model(s) 732 can be executed by a portion of other software. For example, trained machine learning model(s) 732 can be executed by an inference or prediction daemon to be readily available to provide inferences and / or predictions uponrequest. Input data 730 can include data from a computing device executing trained machine learning model(s) 732 and / or input data from one or more other computing devices.

[0118] Figure 8 is a simplified block diagram of an example computing system that could be configured to carry out these and / or other operations described herein. As shown in Figure 8, the example computing system includes at least one network interface 800, at least one processor 802, and at least one non-transitory data storage 804, all of which could be communicatively linked together by a system bus or other connection mechanism 806.

[0119] The network communication interface 800 could comprise one or more wired and / or wireless network communication modules along with associated drivers and / or other logic, to enable communication over a network.

[0120] The at least one processor 802 may comprise one or more general purpose processors (e.g., microprocessors) and / or one or more special purpose processors (e.g., digital signal processors, application specific integrated circuits, etc.). Further, the at least one non- transitory data storage 804 may comprise one or more volatile and / or non-volatile, removable and / or permanently situated storage components (such as magnetic, optical, flash, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.) and may be integrated in whole or in part with the at least one processor 802. The at least one data storage 804 may then embody, encode, hold, or otherwise store program instructions 808, which could be executable by the at least one processor 802 to cause the computing system to carry out various operations such as those described above for instance.

[0121] Further, the present disclosure contemplates at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., one or more volatile and / or non-volatile storage components, such as magnetic, optical, flash, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.) having stored thereon program instructions executable by at least one processor to carry out or cause to be carried out various disclosed operations.

[0122] Example embodiments have been described above. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that changes and modifications may be made to these embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A method to control use of ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging by a device, wherein the device has a UWB communication interface and the device has at least one non-UWB sensor, the method comprising: using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish a first measurement of a change in pose of the device from a first pose to a second pose, wherein establishing the first measurement does not involve using the at least one non-UWB sensor; using by the device the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish a second measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose, wherein establishing the second measurement does not involve using the UWB communication interface; comparing by the device the first measurement with the second measurement; establishing by the device, based on the comparing, a level of UWB-ranging confidence; and using by the device the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in pose of the device comprises at least one change selected from the group consisting of change in position of the device and change in orientation of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose comprises: when the device has the first pose, using the UWB communication interface as a basis to measure at least one of (i) a first distance between the device and a target or (ii) a first angle of arrival of UWB signaling from the target to the device; when the device has the second pose, using the UWB communication interface as a basis to measure at least one of (i) a second distance between the device and the target or (ii) a second angle of arrival of UWB signaling from the target to the device; andestablishing by the device the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose based on at least one of (i) a difference between the first distance and the second distance or (ii) a difference between the first angle of arrival and the second angle of arrival.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-UWB sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a barometer, a camera, lidar, radar, sonar, an ultrasonic sensor, a Bluetooth Channel Sounding system, and a Global Navigation Satellite System module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose comprises a movement of the device from a first position to a second position, wherein the first measurement of the change in pose comprises a first measurement of distance of the movement, and wherein the second measurement of the change in pose comprises a second measurement of distance of the movement.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose comprises using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to determine the first measurement of distance of the movement of the device from the first position to the second position, and wherein using by the device the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish the second measurement of the change in pose of the device comprises using by the device the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to determine the second measurement of distance of the movement of the device from the first position to the second position.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the movement comprises a change in elevation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose comprises a rotation of the device from a first angular orientation to a second angular orientation, wherein using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose comprises using by the device the UWBcommunication interface as a basis to measure change in angle of arrival at the device of UWB signaling from a target, wherein using by the device the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish the second measurement of the change in pose of the device comprises using by the device a gyroscope in the device as a basis to determine a change in angular orientation of the device, and wherein comparing by the device the first measurement with the second measurement comprises comparing one of the first measurement and second measurement with an inverse of the other of the first measurement and second measurement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein using by the device the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device comprises using by the device the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to limit use by the device of one or more UWB-ranging measurements by the device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the using by the device of the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose is based on UWB communication between the device and a target, and wherein using by the device the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device comprises, based on the established level of UWB-ranging confidence, guiding by the device a further change in pose of the device as a basis to improve the UWB communication between the device and the target.

11. A device comprising: an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication interface; at least one non-UWB sensor; at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions executable by the at least one process to cause the device to carry out operations for controlling use of UWB ranging by the device, the operations including: using the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish a first measurement of a change in pose of the device from a first pose to a second pose,wherein establishing the first measurement does not involve use of the at least one non- UWB sensor, using the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish a second measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose, wherein establishing the second measurement does not involve use of the UWB communication interface, comparing the first measurement with the second measurement, establishing, based on the comparing, a level of UWB-ranging confidence, and using the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the change in pose of the device comprises at least one change selected from the group consisting of change in position of the device and change in orientation of the device.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein using the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose comprises: when the device has the first pose, using the UWB communication interface as a basis to measure at least one of (i) a first distance between the device and a target or (ii) a first angle of arrival of UWB signaling from the target to the device; when the device has the second pose, using the UWB communication interface as a basis to measure at least one of (i) a second distance between the device and the target or (ii) a second angle of arrival of UWB signaling from the target to the device; and establishing by the device the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose based on at least one of (i) a difference between the first distance and the second distance or (ii) a difference between the first angle of arrival and the second angle of arrival.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one non-UWB sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetometer, a barometer, a camera, lidar, radar, sonar, an ultrasonic sensor, a Bluetooth Channel Sounding system, and a Global Navigation Satellite System module.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose comprises a movement of the device from a first position to a second position, wherein the first measurement of the change in pose comprises a first measurement of distance of the movement, and wherein the second measurement of the change in pose comprises a second measurement of distance of the movement.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose comprises using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to determine the first measurement of distance of the movement of the device from the first position to the second position, and wherein using by the device the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish the second measurement of the change in pose of the device comprises using by the device the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to determine the second measurement of distance of the movement of the device from the first position to the second position.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose comprises a rotation of the device from a first angular orientation to a second angular orientation, wherein using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose comprises using by the device the UWB communication interface as a basis to measure change in angle of arrival at the device of UWB signaling from a target, wherein using by the device the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish the second measurement of the change in pose of the device comprises using by the device a gyroscope in the device as a basis to determine a change in angular orientation of the device, and wherein comparing by the device the first measurement with the second measurement comprises comparing one of the first measurement and second measurement with an inverse of the other of the first measurement and second measurement.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein using by the device the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device comprises using by the device the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to limit use by the device of one or more UWB-ranging measurements by the device.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the using by the device of the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish the first measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose is based on UWB communication between the device and a target, and wherein using by the device the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device comprises, based on the established level of UWB-ranging confidence, guiding by the device a further change in pose of the device as a basis to improve the UWB communication between the device and the target.

20. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions executable by at least one processor of a device to cause the device to carry out operations for controlling use of ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging by the device, wherein the device has a UWB communication interface and at least one non-UWB sensor, the operations comprising: using the UWB communication interface as a basis to establish a first measurement of a change in pose of the device from a first pose to a second pose, wherein establishing the first measurement does not involve use of the at least one non-UWB sensor; using the at least one non-UWB sensor as a basis to establish a second measurement of the change in pose of the device from the first pose to the second pose, wherein establishing the second measurement does not involve use of the UWB communication interface; comparing the first measurement with the second measurement; establishing, based on the comparing, a level of UWB-ranging confidence; and using the established level of UWB-ranging confidence as a basis to control use of UWB ranging by the device.

Images