Apparatus and method for determining a distance to an object

1. An apparatus for determining a distance to an object, comprising:

a first transceiver configured to transmit a first radio frequency signal;

a second transceiver configured to transmit a second radio frequency signal in response to receiving the first radio frequency signal; and

a processing circuit configured to determine the distance to the object based on a transmission time of the first radio frequency signal and a reception time, at the first transceiver, of a reflected component of the second radio frequency signal that is reflected by the object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

an antenna system configured to radiate the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal towards the object.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the antenna system comprises:

a first antenna element configured to radiate the first radio frequency signal into the environment; and

a second antenna element configured to radiate the second radio frequency signal into the environment, wherein the first antenna element and the second antenna element are oriented towards the object.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the antenna system further comprises:

an actuator configured to adjust an orientation of the first and second antenna elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the antenna system comprises:

an antenna array configured to radiate the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal into the environment wherein a main lobe of the antenna array's radiation pattern is oriented towards the object.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine the distance to the object based on a transmission time of the second radio frequency signal and a reception time, at the second transceiver, of a reflected component of the first radio frequency signal that is reflected by the object.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the distance to the object based on a relationship between the speed of light, a first difference between the transmission time of the first radio frequency signal and the reception time, at the first transceiver, of the reflected component of the second radio frequency signal, a second difference between the transmission time of the second radio frequency signal and the reception time, at the second transceiver, of the reflected component of the first radio frequency signal, a difference between the first difference and the second difference, and a constant.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

determine a reception time of the received second radio frequency signal using a first algorithm for a Fine Time Measurement according to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers;

determine, using a second algorithm, a correction value for the reception time of the received second radio frequency signal based on the received second radio frequency signal; and

determine the reception time of the reflected component of the second radio frequency signal by combining the reception time of the received second radio frequency and the correction value.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

select a reception time of a signal peak of the received first radio frequency signal having the greatest amplitude as the reception time of the reflected component of the first radio frequency signal, or

select a reception time of a signal peak of the received second radio frequency signal having the greatest amplitude as the reception time of the reflected component of the second radio frequency signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal are compliant to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a carrier frequency of the first radio frequency signal or the second radio frequency signal is about 700 MHz or more.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a carrier frequency of the first radio frequency signal or the second radio frequency signal is about 50 GHz or more.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal are signals of a burst of a Fine Time Measurement according to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first semiconductor chip comprising the first transceiver; and

a second semiconductor chip comprising the second transceiver.

15. A mobile device comprising an apparatus for determining a distance to an object according to claim 1 .

16. A vehicle comprising an apparatus for determining a distance to an object according to claim 1 .

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising a control circuit configured to control an autonomous movement of the vehicle based on a distance to an object in the vehicle's surrounding determined by the apparatus.

18. A method for determining a distance to an object, comprising:

transmitting a first radio frequency signal by a first transceiver;

transmitting, by a second transceiver, a second radio frequency signal in response to receiving the first radio frequency signal; and

determining the distance to the object based on a transmission time of the first radio frequency signal and a reception time, at the first transceiver, of a reflected component of the second radio frequency signal that is reflected by the object.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein determining the distance to the object is further based on a transmission time of the second radio frequency signal and a reception time, at the second transceiver, of a reflected component of the first radio frequency signal that is reflected by the object.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining the distance to the object is based on a relationship between the speed of light, a first difference between the transmission time of the first radio frequency signal and the reception time, at the first transceiver, of the reflected component of the second radio frequency signal, a second difference between the transmission time of the second radio frequency signal and the reception time, at the second transceiver, of the reflected component of the first radio frequency signal, a difference between the first difference and the second difference, and a constant.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein determining the distance to the object comprises:

determining a reception time of the received second radio frequency signal using a first algorithm for a Fine Time Measurement according to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers;

determining, using a second algorithm, a correction value for the reception time of the received second radio frequency signal based on the received second radio frequency signal; and

determining the reception time of the reflected component of the second radio frequency signal by modifying the reception time of the received second radio frequency by the correction value.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein determining the distance to the object comprises:

selecting a reception time of a signal peak of the received first radio frequency signal having the greatest amplitude as the reception time of the reflected component of the first radio frequency signal, or

selecting a reception time of a signal peak of the received second radio frequency signal having the greatest amplitude as the reception time of the reflected component of the second radio frequency signal.

23. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal are compliant to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein a carrier frequency of the first radio frequency signal or the second radio frequency signal is about 700 MHz or more.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first radio frequency signal and the second radio frequency signal are signals of a burst of a Fine Time Measurement according to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.