Ranging Capability Exchange for Low-Overhead Device Discovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies lack an effective method for device discovery in ranging-based services, which are essential for determining distance and angle between devices in applications like social networking, smart home, and IoT.

Innovation Solution

A ranging capacity request method, sending method, and receiving method are introduced to enable devices to discover and communicate their ranging capabilities, allowing them to determine compatible devices and select appropriate ranging capacities for service execution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If no device discovery method is implemented, then device ranging service cannot be established, but implementing a discovery method increases system complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice discovery capabilityVSAvoiddiscovery process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having devices pre-generate and store capability indication information before actual ranging operations. This allows devices to quickly discover and assess each other's ranging capabilities without complex real-time negotiations, resolving the contradiction between reliable device discovery and system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces capability indication information as an intermediary element that mediates the discovery process. Instead of complex direct device-to-device negotiation, devices exchange pre-prepared capability information that serves as a standardized interface, simplifying the discovery mechanism while ensuring reliable capability assessment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If devices exchange detailed capability information, then compatible device selection is improved, but communication overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice compatibility matchingVSAvoidcommunication overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential ranging capability information needed for compatibility assessment, rather than exchanging complete device capability sets. This selective extraction of relevant information improves device compatibility matching while minimizing communication overhead by transmitting only the necessary capability indicators

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by tailoring the capability information exchange to the specific ranging scenario. Devices exchange only the capability information locally relevant to their interaction type (e.g., direct ranging vs. relay ranging), avoiding transmission of unnecessary global capability data and thus reducing communication overhead while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12538094B2Ranging capacity request method, ranging capacity sending method, and ranging capacity receiving method

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD

AI summary

A ranging capacity request method includes sending a first message, in which the first message includes request information, and the request information is configured to request for ranging capacity information of a second terminal that has received the request information. The second terminal may reply with a message including the ranging capacity information of the second terminal, for example, a ranging process used when performing a ranging service, an object ranged when performing a ranging service, or a ranging accuracy when performing a ranging service.