High precision access point to access point synchronization in an indoor position location system

1. A method of synchronizing two or more access points (APs) within a network of APs in a location tracking system, comprising:

receiving, at a first AP comprising an oscillator and at least one timer, a narrowband signal comprising control information including a start time;

estimating, at the first AP, a frequency offset and a time offset based at least in part on the control information;

receiving, at the first AP, an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal after the start time;

adjusting, at the first AP, the estimated frequency offset and the estimated time offset based at least in part on receiving the UWB signal;

responding, from the first AP, with an acknowledgment that synchronization was successful;

transmitting, from the first AP to a second AP, a second narrowband signal comprising the control information including the start time; and

transmitting, from the first AP to the second AP, a second UWB signal after the start time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the estimated frequency offset and the estimated time offset comprises:

identifying the start time;

determining a processing time associated with processing and the receiving the UWB signal; and

determining a propagation time associated with a distance between the first AP and at least the second AP.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining a sample time based at least in part on the at least one timer;

estimating a time of arrival (TOA) of a direct path of the UWB signal;

determining a fine time offset based at least in part on the start time, the processing time, the propagation time, the sample time, and the TOA; and

shifting the at least one timer and the oscillator based upon the fine time offset.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the frequency offset comprises:

identifying a system frequency offset from the control information; and

correcting a frequency of the oscillator based at least in part on the identified system frequency offset.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the time offset comprises:

identifying a system time stamp from the control information;

comparing the system time stamp with a local time stamp generated by the at least one timer; and

computing the time offset based upon comparing the system time stamp and the local time stamp.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

correcting a time of the at least one timer based at least in part on the computed time offset.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the time offset comprises:

adjusting a computed time offset by an expected mean delay between a transmitter start of frame delimiter (SFD) and a receiver SFD.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the time offset comprises:

adjusting a computed time by an expected number of cycle differences of a system clock, the cycle differences due to a high transmitter start of frame delimiter (SFD) frequency offset.

9. A system configured for synchronizing two or more access points (APs) within a network of APs in a location tracking system, the system comprising:

means for receiving, at a first AP comprising an oscillator and at least one timer, a narrowband signal comprising control information including a start time;

means for estimating, at the first AP, a frequency offset and a time offset based at least in part on the control information;

means for receiving, at the first AP, an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal after the start time;

means for adjusting, at the first AP, the estimated frequency offset and the estimated time offset based at least in part on receiving the UWB signal;

means for responding, from the first AP, with an acknowledgment that synchronization was successful;

means for transmitting, from the first AP to a second AP, a second narrowband signal comprising the control information including the start time; and

means for transmitting, from the first AP to the second AP, a second UWB signal after the start time.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein estimating the time offset comprises:

means for adjusting a computed time offset by an expected mean delay between a transmitter start of frame delimiter (SFD) and a receiver SFD.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein estimating the time offset comprises:

means for adjusting a computed time by an expected number of cycle differences of a system clock, the cycle differences due to a high transmitter start of frame delimiter (SFD) frequency offset.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the estimated frequency offset and the estimated time offset comprises:

means for identifying the start time;

means for determining a processing time associated with processing and the receiving the UWB signal; and

means for determining a propagation time associated with a distance between the first AP and at least the second AP.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

means for determining a sample time based at least in part on the at least one timer;

means for estimating a time of arrival (TOA) of a direct path of the UWB signal;

means for determining a fine time offset based at least in part on the start time, the processing time, the propagation time, the sample time, and the TOA; and

means for shifting the at least one timer and the oscillator based upon the fine time offset.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein estimating the frequency offset comprises:

means for identifying a system frequency offset from the control information; and

means for correcting a frequency of the oscillator based at least in part on the identified system frequency offset.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein estimating the time offset comprises:

means for identifying a system time stamp from the control information;

means for comparing the system time stamp with a local time stamp generated by the at least one timer; and

means for computing the time offset based upon comparing the system time stamp and the local time stamp.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

means for correcting a time of the at least one timer based at least in part on the computed time offset.

17. A computer-program product for synchronizing two or more access points (APs) within a network of APs in a location tracking system, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

receive, at a first AP comprising an oscillator and at least one timer, a narrowband signal comprising control information including a start time;

estimate, at the first AP, a frequency offset and a time offset based at least in part on the control information;

receive, at the first AP, an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal after the start time;

adjust, at the first AP, the estimated frequency offset and the estimated time offset based at least in part on receiving the UWB signal;

respond, from the first AP, with an acknowledgment that synchronization was successful;

transmit, from the first AP to a second AP, a second narrowband signal comprising the control information including the start time; and

transmit, from the first AP to the second AP, a second UWB signal after the start time.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to estimate the frequency offset are executable by the processor to:

identify a system frequency offset from the control information; and

correct a frequency of the oscillator based at least in part on the identified system frequency offset.

19. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to estimate the time offset are executable by the processor to:

identify a system time stamp from the control information;

compare the system time stamp with a local time stamp generated by the at least one timer; and

compute the time offset based upon comparing the system time stamp and the local time stamp.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

correct a time of the at least one timer based at least in part on the computed time offset.

21. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to estimate the time offset are executable by the processor to:

adjust a computed time offset by an expected mean delay between a transmitter start of frame delimiter (SFD) and a receiver SFD.

22. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein instructions executable by the processor to estimate the time offset are executable by the processor to:

adjust a computed time by an expected number of cycle differences of a system clock, the cycle differences due to a high transmitter start of frame delimiter (SFD) frequency offset.

23. The computer-program product of claim 17 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to adjust the estimated frequency offset and the estimated time offset are executable by the processor to:

identify the start time;

determine a processing time associated with processing and the receiving the UWB signal; and

determine a propagation time associated with a distance between the first AP and at least the second AP.

24. The computer-program product of claim 23 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine a sample time based at least in part on the at least one timer;

estimate a time of arrival (TOA) of a direct path of the UWB signal;

determine a fine time offset based at least in part on the start time, the processing time, the propagation time, the sample time, and the TOA; and

shift the at least one timer and the oscillator based upon the fine time offset.

25. An apparatus for synchronizing two or more access points (APs) within a network of APs in a location tracking system, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

an oscillator;

at least one timer;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to:

receive a narrowband signal comprising control information including a start time;

estimate a frequency offset and a time offset based at least in part on the control information;

receive an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal after the start time;

adjust the estimated frequency offset and the estimated time offset based at least in part on receiving the UWB signal;

respond with an acknowledgment that synchronization was successful;

transmit a second narrowband signal comprising the control information including the start time; and

transmit a second UWB signal after the start time.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to estimate the frequency offset are executable by the processor to:

identify a system frequency offset from the control information; and

correct a frequency of the oscillator based at least in part on the identified system frequency offset.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to estimate the time offset are executable by the processor to:

adjust a computed time offset by an expected mean delay between a transmitter start of frame delimiter (SFD) and a receiver SFD.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to estimate the time offset are executable by the processor to:

adjust a computed time by an expected number of cycle differences of a system clock, the cycle differences due to a high transmitter start of frame delimiter (SFD) frequency offset.

29. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to estimate the frequency offset are executable by the processor to:

identify the start time;

determine a processing time associated with processing and the receiving the UWB signal; and

determine a propagation time associated with a distance between the first AP and at least the second AP.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine a sample time based at least in part on the at least one timer;

estimate a time of arrival (TOA) of a direct path of the UWB signal;

determine a fine time offset based at least in part on the start time, the processing time, the propagation time, the sample time, and the TOA; and

shift the at least one timer and the oscillator based upon the fine time offset.

31. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to estimate the time offset are executable by the processor to:

identify a system time stamp from the control information;

compare the system time stamp with a local time stamp generated by the at least one timer; and

compute the time offset based upon comparing the system time stamp and the local time stamp.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

correct a time of the at least one timer based at least in part on the computed time offset.