IP Library Granted Patent US 11,316,594
Granted Patent B2
US 11,316,594 · App. 16/621,412 · Granted Apr 26, 2022

Robust ultrasound communication signal format

Inventors: Xintian E. Lin (Mountain View, CA); Matias Javier Almada (Columbus, GA); Qinghua Li (San Ramon, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04B11/00H04L1/0041H04L1/0045H04L1/0061H04L1/0071
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,316,594
App. No.
16/621,412
Granted
Apr 26, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for ultrasound transmission. A bit packet is created from received data. A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is added to the bit packet based on the input data. The bit packet is encoded with forward error correction. The encoded bit packet is block interleaved to create a bit stream. The bit stream is converted into symbols. Each symbol is mapped to a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF). A first audio buffer based upon the DTMF is created. The audio buffer is provided for output.

Claims (49)

1. An apparatus for ultrasound transmission, the apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to:

add a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to a bit packet based on input data;

encode the bit packet with forward error correction;

block interleave the encoded bit packet to create a bit stream;

convert the bit stream into plurality of symbols;

map each of the plurality of symbols to a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF); and

generate a first audio buffer based on the DTMF for ultrasound transmission.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the DTMF comprises a first tone and a second tone, wherein the first audio buffer includes the first tone, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to create a second audio buffer that includes the second tone and provide the second audio buffer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a first speaker, wherein the first audio buffer is provided to the first speaker and the first speaker is configured to output the first audio buffer; and a second speaker, wherein the second audio buffer is provided to the second speaker, and wherein the second speaker is configured to output the second audio buffer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to create a preamble at a start of the first audio buffer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the preamble comprises two symbols.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the two symbols of the preamble are transmitted sequentially.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the two symbols of the preamble are transmitted non-sequentially.

8. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to introduce a guard interval between the symbols.

9. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 7 , wherein each symbol of the symbols comprises six bits.

10. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to repeatedly control a broadcast of the audio buffer.

11. The apparatus of any of claims 1 - 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive pairing data from a device based upon the audio buffer; and

pair the device with the apparatus based upon the received pairing data.

12. A method for ultrasound transmission, the method comprising:

adding a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to a bit packet based on input data;

encoding the bit packet with forward error correction;

block interleaving the encoded bit packet to create a bit stream;

converting the bit stream into plurality of symbols;

mapping each of the plurality of symbols to a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF); and

generating a first audio buffer based on the DTMF for ultrasound transmission.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the DTMF comprises a first tone and a second tone, wherein the first audio buffer includes the first tone, and wherein the method further comprises creating a second audio buffer that includes the second tone and provide the second audio buffer.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

providing the first audio buffer to a first speaker; and

providing the second audio buffer to a second speaker.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising creating a preamble at a start of the first audio buffer.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the preamble comprises two symbols.

17. The method of any of claims 12 - 16 , further comprising introducing a guard interval between the symbols.

18. The method of any of claims 12 - 16 , further comprising repeatedly controlling a broadcast of the audio buffer.

19. The method of any of claims 12 - 16 , further comprising:

receiving pairing data from a device based upon the audio buffer; and

pairing the device with the apparatus based upon the received pairing data.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions upon execution of the instructions by processing circuitry, to:

add a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) to a bit packet based on input data;

encode the bit packet with forward error correction;

block interleave the encoded bit packet to create a bit stream;

convert the bit stream into plurality of symbols;

map each of the plurality of symbols to a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF); and

generate a first audio buffer based on the DTMF for ultrasound transmission.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the DTMF comprises a first tone and a second tone, wherein the first audio buffer includes the first tone, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to create a second audio buffer that includes the second tone and provide the second audio buffer.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further cause the processing circuitry to provide to a first speaker the first audio buffer; and provide to a second speaker the second audio buffer.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the instructions further cause the processing circuitry to create a preamble at a start of the first audio buffer.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the preamble comprises two symbols.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the two symbols of the preamble are transmitted sequentially.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2020
From: INTEL CORPORATION
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 054797/0001 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62519024 · Jun 13, 2017
Related Publication 20200169327A1 · May 28, 2020