Standard-Compliant Wireless Ranging Without Dedicated Radar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Configuring wireless circuitry in electronic devices for sensing operations can require excessive hardware real estate and interfere with communications, especially when using non-standard-compliant waveforms.
Innovation Solution
Utilize standard-compliant transmit waveforms, such as Sounding Reference Signals (SRS), for both wireless communications and spatial ranging operations, leveraging existing communications circuitry to perform spatial ranging without additional hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dedicated radar circuitry is used for spatial ranging operations, then sensing capability is improved, but device complexity and hardware real estate requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by enabling the communications circuitry to perform both wireless communications and spatial ranging operations using the same hardware components. The communications circuitry transmits waveforms that serve dual purposes: conveying communications data and enabling sensing operations through reflected signal detection, thereby eliminating the need for dedicated radar circuitry
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the communications function and sensing function into a single integrated system. The same transmit antenna, receive antenna, and communications circuitry are used for both transmitting communications data and performing spatial ranging, combining what would traditionally be separate systems into one unified hardware platform
2Measurement precision
If wireless circuitry is configured for sensing operations, then spatial ranging capability is improved, but interference with communications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communications circuitry is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously - it transmits waveforms that both convey communications data and enable sensing operations. By using the same circuitry for both purposes, the system avoids the interference that would arise from separate sensing operations, as the waveform design ensures communications and sensing are integrated rather than competing functions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses standard-compliant transmit waveforms with specific parameters defined by communication standards. These waveforms are designed to achieve both communications and sensing objectives, with parameters such as frequency, phase, and amplitude optimized to minimize interference while maintaining sensing accuracy through reflected signal detection
3Device complexity
If standard-compliant transmit waveforms are used for both communications and sensing, then device complexity is reduced, but sensing precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes standard-compliant transmit waveforms with carefully selected parameters that satisfy both communications requirements and sensing precision requirements. The waveform parameters are optimized to enable accurate detection of reflected signals while maintaining compatibility with communication standards, achieving dual functionality without sacrificing measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the communications circuitry detects reflected versions of transmitted waveforms and uses this information to determine spatial ranging. The feedback loop processes the reflected signals to extract range information, ensuring that sensing precision is maintained even though the same standard-compliant waveforms are used for both communications and sensing purposes
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Minimizes hardware requirements and interference, enabling efficient spatial ranging while maintaining wireless communications performance.
Implementation Method 1
A receive antenna may receive a reflected version of the standard-compliant transmit waveform that has reflected off the external object
Implementation Method 2
This division may remove the individual phases and amplitudes of the selected sub-carrier to produce a time-of-flight-related signal (e.g., a time-of-flight-related phase signal)
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may include wireless circuitry that conveys data with a base station according to a communication standard and that detects range to an external object using a first antenna that transmits a waveform compliant with the standard. The waveform may be a Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) waveform, a transmit data waveform, or another waveform. A second antenna may receive a reflected signal that includes the transmitted waveform. The communications circuitry may perform element-wise division on symbols of a selected sub-carrier in the reflected signal using corresponding phases and magnitudes of a set of complex OFDM symbols used to generate the transmitted waveform. Peak detection may be performed to detect the range. Using standard-compliant transmit waveforms to also perform spatial ranging may allow the communications circuitry to avoid dedicated radar circuitry while also minimizing impact to the transfer of the data.