UWB Session Synchronization with a Common Time Base

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing UWB communication systems face issues with clock drift between multiple sessions, leading to overlapping communication time slots and potential failures, which affect user experience and increase power consumption.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where UWB communication sessions are synchronized to a common time base, using a reference session to manage and align all sessions, and optionally incorporating a session prioritization scheme to handle clock drift issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple UWB communication sessions are executed simultaneously with independent clock synchronization, then communication parallelism and data throughput are improved, but clock drift causes time slot overlapping and communication reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication throughputVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple independent clock sources into a single common time base that all UWB communication sessions share. Instead of each session maintaining its own independent clock synchronization, all sessions are synchronized to the same time reference, eliminating clock drift between sessions and preventing time slot overlaps while maintaining parallel communication capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the traditional synchronization approach by making the session process synchronize to the time base rather than the time base adapting to each session. The common time base serves as the master reference, and all session processes are enslaved to it, ensuring uniform timing across all simultaneous communications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If clock drift compensation mechanisms are implemented to prevent time slot overlapping, then communication reliability is improved, but system complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidsynchronization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the clock drift problem from each individual session and consolidates it into a single common time base management system. By removing the need for each session to independently track and compensate for drift, the system reduces complexity while maintaining reliability through centralized time synchronization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If independent time base synchronization is used for each UWB session, then session independence and flexibility are improved, but time slot collisions increase and user experience deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesession flexibilityVSAvoidtime slot collisions

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a common time base as an intermediary between multiple UWB sessions. This intermediary coordinate system allows sessions to maintain their independence and flexibility while providing a neutral reference framework that prevents time slot collisions, acting as a mediator that reconciles session autonomy with coordinated timing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12425069B2Method for managing UWB communication sessions

Publication Date: 2025.09.23 NXP BV

AI summary

A method is provided for managing ultra-wideband (UWB) sessions. In the method a first UWB communication session is performed. A process of the first UWB communication session is synchronized with a time base of a first UWB communication device. At least another UWB communication session is performed. A process of the at least another UWB communication session is synchronized to the first UWB communication session.