IP Library Granted Patent US 10,775,471
Granted Patent B2
US 10,775,471 · App. 16/376,920 · Granted Sep 15, 2020

Asset location using direction finding features

Inventor: Robert Hulvey (Redondo Beach, CA)
Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
G01S3/36G01S3/325H04B7/084H04B7/0897H04W4/38H04W4/029H04W76/14H04W84/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,775,471
App. No.
16/376,920
Granted
Sep 15, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus receive a signal from a first wireless device through a first antenna, of a plurality of antennas, the signal including a first segment and a second segment. Responsive to detecting a change in the signal from the first segment to the second segment, embodiments traverse the plurality of antennas to receive the second segment through each of the plurality of antennas. Embodiments determine a plurality of phase samples, each associated with the second segment received through one of the plurality of antennas. Embodiment then use the plurality of phase samples to calculate direction data associated with the first wireless device.

Claims (24)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a location request from a first wireless device and establishing a network connection with the first wireless device;

after receiving the location request, receiving a signal from the first wireless device through a first antenna, of a plurality of antennas, the signal including a first segment and a second segment;

responsive to detecting a change in the signal from the first segment to the second segment, traversing the plurality of antennas to receive the second segment through each of the plurality of antennas;

determining a plurality of phase samples, each phase sample associated with the second segment received through one of the plurality of antennas; and

using the plurality of phase samples to calculate direction data associated with the first wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving the second segment through each of the plurality of antennas of a second wireless device, wherein the direction data associated with the first wireless device indicates a direction of the first wireless device relative to the second wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving the second segment through a second antenna, of the plurality of antennas, of a second wireless device and receiving the second segment through a third antenna, of the plurality of antennas, of a third wireless device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second wireless device and the third wireless devices are nodes in a mesh network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the plurality of phase samples to calculate direction data associated with the first wireless device comprises using a Bluetooth angle of departure or angle of arrival algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the direction data to determine distance data associated with the first wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting data associated with the direction data in response to receiving the location request for the direction data from the first wireless device.

8. A method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting by a first wireless device to a second wireless device, a location request;

establishing a network connection between the first wireless device and the second wireless device responsive to transmitting the location request;

after the transmitting of the location request, wirelessly transmitting by the first wireless device to the second wireless device, an extended signal including a first segment and second segment,

wherein the first segment comprises an indication for the second wireless device to listen for a change in the extended signal from the first segment to the second segment,

wherein the second segment comprises an indication for the second wireless device to rotate through a plurality of antennas to receive the second segment via the plurality of antennas; and

responsive to the transmitting of the extended signal, receiving direction data from the second wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the transmitting of the extended signal comprises transmitting a first pattern as the first segment and transmitting a second pattern as the second segment, wherein the first pattern is different from the second pattern.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the transmitting of the extended signal is responsive to the establishing of the network connection.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the transmitting of the extended signal comprises transmitting a multi-directional signal.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising calculating a distance between the first wireless device and the second wireless device using the direction data.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising displaying location information, wherein the location information is based on the direction data.

Assignments (4)
MERGER Recorded Nov 14, 2025
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AMERICAS CORP.
Reel/Frame 073571/0456 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2022
From: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 059410/0438 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2019
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MUFG UNION BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049917/0093 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2019
From: HULVEY, ROBERT
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048850/0307 →