Circuit, system and method for communication between two nodes of a radio network
A first node of a radio network initiates a mode for finding the range to a second node. The first node transmits to the second node, with the address of the second node, a range finding command, which switches the second node into the range finding mode and controls a sequence. The first node transmits in a transmission time window a first signal, which is received by the second node in an associated reception time window, a first phase value of the first signal being measured. The second node transmits in a transmission time window a second signal, which is received by the first node in an associated reception time window, a second phase value of the second signal being measured. The first frequency is changed by a frequency difference and the second frequency is changed by the frequency difference in a subsequent time window of the sequence.
1. A method for communication between two nodes of a radio network, the method comprising:
transmitting, by the first node and to a second node, a first signal at a first frequency, the first signal transmitted during a first time window and having a measurable first phase value;
receiving, by the first node, a second signal from the second node, the second signal received at a second frequency, the second signal received during the first time window and having a measurable second phase value;
transmitting, by the first node and to the second node, a third signal at a third frequency that is different from the first frequency by a frequency difference, the third signal transmitted during a second time window and having a measurable third phase value;
receiving, by the first node, a fourth signal from the second node, the fourth signal received at a fourth frequency that is different from the second frequency by the frequency difference, the fourth signal received during the second time window and having a measurable fourth phase value; and
based on the first phase value, the second phase value, the third phase value, and the fourth phase value and the frequency difference, determining the distance between the first node and the second node.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the first node and from the second node, the first phase value of the first signal;
measuring, by the first node, the second phase value of the second signal;
receiving, by the first node and from the second node, the third phase value of the third signal; and
measuring, by the first node, the fourth phase value of the fourth signal.
3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first phase value and the third phase value are received from the second node after the fourth signal is received.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first frequency and the second frequency are the same; and
the third frequency and the fourth frequency are the same.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the first node, a range finding command to an address of the second node, the range finding command identifying a sequence of the first frequency, the second frequency, the third frequency, and the fourth frequency.
6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the range finding command is encrypted when transmitted by the first node to the second node.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a command, from the first node to the second node, wherein the command synchronizes a start time of the first time window.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
changing, by the first node, an indicator following payload data of a frame to a value associated with range finding;
transmitting, by the first node, the altered value of the indicator to the second node with a range finding command; and
receiving, by the first node and from the second node, a frame or a synchronization frame with an altered value of the indicator.
9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining movement of the second node based on the distance measured between the first node and the second node.
10. A first node of a radio network, the first node comprising:
a circuit comprising a transceiver, the circuit configured to:
transmit, to a second node and during a first time window, a first signal at a first frequency, the first signal having a measurable first phase value;
receive, from the second node and during the first time window, a second signal at a second frequency, the second signal having a measurable second phase value;
transmit, to the second nod and during a second time window, a third signal at a third frequency, the third frequency separated from the first frequency by a frequency difference, the third signal having a measurable third phase value;
receive, at a fourth frequency and during a second time window, a fourth signal from the second node, the fourth frequency separated from the second frequency by the frequency difference, the fourth signal received having a measurable fourth phase value; and
based on the first phase value, the second phase value, the third phase value, and the fourth phase value and the frequency difference, determine the distance between the first node and the second node.
11. The first node according to claim 10 , wherein the circuit is further configured to:
receive the first phase value of the first signal from the second node;
measure the second phase value of the second signal;
receive the third phase value of the third signal from the second node; and
measure the fourth phase value of the fourth signal.
12. The first node according to claim 11 , wherein the first phase value and the third phase value are received from the second node after the fourth signal is received.
13. The first node according to claim 10 , wherein:
the first frequency and the second frequency are the same; and
the third frequency and the fourth frequency are the same.
14. The first node according to claim 10 , wherein the circuit is further configured to transmit a range finding command to an address of the second node, the range finding command identifying a sequence of the first frequency, the second frequency, the third frequency, and the fourth frequency.
15. The first node according to claim 14 , wherein the circuit is further configured to encrypt the range finding command before transmitting the range finding command to the second node.
16. The first node according to claim 14 , wherein the range finding command synchronizes a start time of the first time window for the first node and the second node.
17. The first node according to claim 10 , wherein the circuit is further configured to:
change an indicator following payload data of a frame to a value associated with range finding; and
receive, from the second node, a frame or a synchronization frame with an altered value of the indicator.
18. The first node according to claim 17 , wherein the circuit is further configured to:
transmit the altered value of the indicator to the second node with a range finding command; and
receive, from the second node, measurement results of the range finding from the second node, the measurement results comprising a reset value of the indicator.
19. The first node according to claim 10 , wherein the circuit is further configured to determine movement of the second node based on the distance measured between the first node and the second node.
20. A radio network system, comprising:
a first node; and
a second node,
wherein the first node is configured to transmit, to a second node and during a first time window, a first signal at a first frequency, the first signal having a measurable first phase value,
wherein, in response to receiving the first signal, the second node is configured to transmit, to the first node and during the first time window, a second signal at a second frequency, the second signal having a measurable second phase value; wherein, in response to receiving the second signal, the first node is configured to transmit, to the second nod and during a second time window, a third signal at a third frequency, the third frequency separated from the first frequency by a frequency difference, the third signal having a measurable third phase value;
wherein, in response to receiving the third signal, the second node is configured to transmit, at a fourth frequency and during the second time window, a fourth signal to the first node, the fourth frequency separated from the second frequency by the frequency difference, the fourth signal received having a measurable fourth phase value;
wherein the first node is configured to determine the distance between the first node and the second node based on the first phase value, the second phase value, the third phase value, and the fourth phase value and the frequency difference.